Dominic Carter as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr; Photo by Benjamin Rose Photography.
Presented by The Front Porch Arts Collective in collaboration with The Suffolk University Modern Theatre
Written by Katori Hall
Directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent
Assistant Directed by Kayla Sessoms
September 19 – October 12, 2025
The Suffolk University Modern Theatre
525 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111
Digital Program: Link
Runtime: 90 minutes with no intermission
Review by Helen Ganley
“Never meet your heroes, because they’re sure to disappoint you.”
BOSTON — This Proust quote drips with cynicism, suggesting that if we become too familiar with those we admire, they’ll inevitably fall short of our expectations. I disagree. Heroism isn’t about being untouchable; it’s precisely the fact that they are human, flaws and all, who nonetheless achieve something extraordinary that makes them heroic in my eyes.
The Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of “The Mountaintop” challenges this very notion. Written by Katori Hall, the two-character play reimagines Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final night at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 3, 1968. There, he engages in a flirtatious yet profound conversation with a motel maid named Camae, one that blends the ordinary with the spiritual. The play premiered in London in 2009 before transferring to the West End, where it won the Olivier Award for Best New Play. Its Broadway debut came in 2011 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, starring Samuel L. Jackson as Dr. King and Angela Bassett as Camae. With its mix of realism and magical elements, The Mountaintop offers a moving meditation on mortality, legacy, and the unfinished work of justice. Continue reading
