Cape May Stage to Present THE MOUNTAINTOP, 5/21-6/13

Cape May Stage presents the New Jersey premiere of The Mountaintop, Katori Hall's fantastical take on the last night of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life. In this winner of the Olivier Award for Best New Play, Hall daringly tackles the challenge of depicting a legend with a lasting legacy and showing him for what he truly was - a mere man. It is a powerfully vulnerable portrait of King; he is stripped down and exposed in all his flaws, more human than ever.

Revolving around a conversation between King and the hotel maid Camae who brings him a cup of coffee, The Mountaintop deftly weaves a surrealistic take on the night before King's assassination. In his room at the Lorraine Motel, mere feet from where he would be shot the next evening, the two discuss everything from the Civil Rights Movement to stinky feet. Alternatingly funny and heartbreaking, featuring a magnificent twist that reveals Camae to be more than she appears to be, The Mountaintop is a soul-stirring drama that resonates deeply with issues of race and equality still present in today's society.

Los Angeles based actors Ben Cain and Nija Okoro expertly bring King and Camae to life. Ben Cain recently appeared in the award-winning Joe Turner's Come and Gone at The Mark Taper Forum as well as in Embedded at The Public Theatre. Nija Okoro has appeared in productions at The Mark Taper Forum, Sundance Theatre Lab, and regionally at the McCarter Theatre.

Gregg T. Daniel, known for his role on the hit HBO series True Blood and last seen at Cape May Stage in Master Harold and... the boys, returns to direct this powerful drama. An experienced production team joins Daniel including Scenic Designer Shawn Fisher, Costume Designer John Dunnett, Lighting Designer Cyrus Newitt, and Production Stage Manager Casey Oakes.

The Mountaintop will run from Wednesday, May 21 to Friday, June 13 at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse located on the corner of Lafayette and Bank Streets in downtown Cape May. Performances are at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $35 for adults, $30 seniors (62+) and $15 students. A half-price preview performance will take place on Wednesday, May 21; the official opening night will be Thursday, May 22. A special half-price senior matinee will take place Sunday, May 25 and there will be a special "pay-what-you-wish" night on Friday, May 6. During the current run Cape May Stage is participating with ten Cape May gourmet restaurants in a money-saving "Dinner & A Show" package promotion. For more information and reservations, please call the box office at (609) 770-8311 or visit the theatre's website at www.capemaystage.org.

The Mountaintop is presented through the gracious support of the Dog Friendly Billmae Cottage and Sea Salt at the Ocean Club Hotel. This season's sponsors include 410 Bank Street, Frescos, Cape May Winery, CapeSCape, Corner Cottage Apartments, Exit Zero, Chris Clemans Sotheby's International Realty, North Beach Health Club, Montreal Beach Resort, The Washington Inn, and Lucky Bones.

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