Magnolia, atlanta and dr. Martin luther king jr. a ... - Goodman Theatre

IN THE ALBERT
It was a city in which black people
could own their own: Atlanta’s black
community had its own doctors,
lawyers and bankers.
their own: Atlanta’s black community
had its own doctors, lawyers and bankers.
So a lot of black people flocked to
Atlanta for the freedom that they couldn’t
experience in other parts of the South.
Atlanta was built as a railroad town, so
it was very much centered on business.
One of the main characters in the play,
Thomas, is certainly part of that system
of commerce and believes in it. He feels
that as a black man in this country, he
can have control over his destiny and be
a part of the American dream. He feels
a great sense of freedom in his neighborhood,
Sweet Auburn, and as a realtor he
is a successful, profitable businessman.
So he does not see a need for change.
TP: Another critical character in the play is
Lily, who is on the verge of change in her
own life. Can you talk a little bit about Lily
and her relationship with Thomas?
RT: Both Thomas and Lily were born on
Magnolia Estate; both have escaped the
soil on which they were born to try to
create their own identities. Meanwhile,
the tide waters of change are flowing
across America, starting with the “Little
Rock Nine” and Brown v. Board of
Education. This tide is hitting Atlanta
and people want it to slow down. At
the time, Atlanta’s Peyton area was the
invisible line between black and white
Atlanta. Black realtors were circling
around this area, while the new mayor
Ivan Allen Jr. was saying, “We are not
ready for the first black family to move
onto this block. We need to slow down
a bit or there will be white flight across
America.” So he erected a barricade.
During this time, the rules of society
were changing—the lines that separated
black and white Atlanta were becoming
less defined.
As a white woman in this society, Lily
found her place becoming uncertain. So
she left her family’s patch of earth on
Magnolia Estate; she flew the coop, traveled
around the world and orbited further
and further out. Until the time when the
play begins, Lily has been living a bohemian
lifestyle, changing her name and her
identity, trying to find herself. But when the
play begins, she is suddenly called back
home, where she has to deal with the different
parts of herself that she thought she
had left behind. Both Thomas and Lily are
called back to Magnolia Estate, where they
have to deal with their roots.
TP: Another one of the source materials for
Magnolia is The Cherry Orchard, by the
great Russian playwright Anton Chekhov.
RT: Yes, the plot is inspired by The
Cherry Orchard, but the play is as
Magnolia Blossoms with Support from Target
Goodman Theatre is proud to salute
Target for its generous support as the Lead
Corporate Sponsor for Magnolia and returning
Lead Diversity Night Sponsor. With
Magnolia, Target continues its partnership
with the Goodman on plays that create a
cross-cultural experience for Chicago audiences
and inspire broad participation by a
diverse group of theatergoers.
“Target is thrilled to partner with the
Goodman to sponsor this world-premiere
production of Magnolia by Regina
Taylor and directed by Anna D. Shapiro,
two outstanding women in theater,”
said Laysha Ward, President, Target
Community Relations. “Productions like
Magnolia have the power to bring communities
together by creating experiences
that engage us in different perspectives,
enrich our lives and celebrate the enduring
spirit of humanity.”
The Goodman gratefully recognizes
Target’s longstanding commitment to
making the arts affordable and accessible
for children and families with
diverse partnerships nationwide. Since
1946, Target has given 5 percent of its
income to the communities it serves.
That adds up to more than $3 million
each and every week.
8