Ed Asner to Star in A RADICAL FRIENDSHIP Live Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., 1/19

For the first time, South Bay theater fans will be graced with the presentation of a new play A RADICAL FRIENDSHIP commemorating the Martin Luther King Jr holiday on January 19th at the Harlyne J. Norris Pavilion on 501 Indian Peak Road in Rolling Hills Estates at 7:30pm.

San Pedro's Temple Beth El presents a staged reading of A RADICAL FRIENDSHIP, a new play about one of the most important relationships of the civil rights movement: the bond between Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel, a Polish-born rabbi.

Jason George (Grey's Anatomy) plays King, while Ed Asner winner of seven Emmy Awards (The Mary Tyler Moore Show) plays Heschel. The performance marks the debut of both stars in the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

One of the most unlikely friendships to come out of the civil rights movement was the 6-year relationship highlighted by the now-iconic, 1965 Selma to Montgomery, Alabama march to promote civil equality, in which the two leaders famously walked arm-in-arm.

Written by American Jewish University Whizin Center instructor and star of the original Rocky, Jane Marla Robbins, A RADICAL FRIENDSHIP is a new play about the very human sides of these celebrated personalities. Inspired by the history they set in motion, the play tracks their first meeting and budding friendship, with all the typical challenges you would expect between a black Baptist minister and a Polish-born rabbi. A thirst for social justice may have brought these two scholars together, but it was a personal bond that cemented their six-year friendship. When King died, Heschel was asked to speak at his funeral; when Heschel died, King's widow spoke at his.

The play follows the story of their relationship, inspired by and including the history they both made happen, the conferences and marches, the political triumphs as well as the personal tragedies. Audiences see them meet, encourage each other, dare to tell each other when they feel the other is wrong, fight, forgive each other, come together closer than before, fight again, forgive again, and again come closer than before. In many ways, this is a love story.

Regular tickets are $36 for general open seating and $54 for reserved premium seating. For these tickets, call or visit the Norris Box Office (310) 544-0403 extension 221.

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