Uggams, Campbell, Davis and More Recall Little Rock in NYC Reading

By Adam Hetrick
September 29, 2009

Tony winning actress Leslie Uggams and Tony nominees Alan Campbell and Clifton Davis lead the staged reading of Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj's Little Rock at the Union Square Theatre beginning Sept. 29.

Rebel Theater Company artistic director and playwright Maharaj directs Little Rock, which is presented Sept. 29 at 7 PM, and Sept. 30 at 12 PM and 7 PM.

Uggams (Hallelujah, Baby!, On Golden Pond) portrays Arkansan #5, with Davis (Two Gentleman of Verona, Hello Dolly!) as Arkansan #6 and Campbell (Sunset Boulevard, Contact), as well as Sherry Boone (Jelly’s Last Jam, Master Class) as Arkansan #1, Rodney Hicks (Rent, Jacques Brel) and Leslie Becker (Nine) as Arkansan #3.

The "Little Rock Nine" are the historic group of African-American students who enrolled at the segregated Little Rock Central High School in 1957 and were initially denied entry by the Governor, but were later officially allowed entry by President Eisenhower. The decision was seen as a key turning point in the Civil Rights Movement.

The play promises the "untold stories of nine young teenagers otherwise known as 'Little Rock Nine' and their struggles, strengths, hardships, and triumphs over the tragic events of the 1957 Little Rock crisis."

Maharaj was the assistant director of the Tony Award-winning 2004 Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun. His plays include Mississippi Night, Diss Diss & Diss Dat, Twenty-Five, Gray, Children of the Dream and BlackfootNotes.

The Union Square Theatre is located at 100 East 17 Street. For further information, e-mail wicgrsvp@gmail.com.