On Feb. 23, Selma The Musical: The Untold Stories will be performed in Montgomery and hosted by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) along with its project the Civil Rights Memorial Center.
J.P. Haynes, writer and director of Selma the Musical, said she was thrilled to bring the musical to Montgomery for one night only and partner with SPLC to tell an important story through this medium.
“I am honored and ecstatic to work with the SPLC to bring Selma the Musical: The Untold Stories to Montgomery, Alabama,” Haynes said. “The work done by the SPLC in our communities is indispensable, and joining forces in partnership is humbling. Selma is a story of triumph and truth. This musical unveils the multi-layered dynamics of Black families and communities while shining light on such a pivotal point in American history. We can’t wait to bring this show to Montgomery!”
Coinciding with Black History Month, the musical’s story will take the audience back to 1965 as they follow the Wilson family and their experiences in Selma as the historic march attempts to unfold. Iconic Civil Rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will interact with the Wilsons as they are all threatened by the rampant anti-Black violence, segregation and political repression which also seeks to inhibit the march.
Tickets for the event are priced at $20, $10, and $5 dollars and can be purchased at the Montgomery Performing Arts Centre box office or on Ticketmaster. The musical will begin at 6 p.m.
“We are proud to bring Selma the Musical home to Alabama before it makes its Broadway debut,” Tafeni English-Relf, director of the SPLC’s Alabama State Office, stated. “Alabamians know the story of Selma, the Civil Rights leaders, and foot soldiers who led the way better than anyone. Yet we know little about how average Black families in 1965 navigated those times. The characters’ untold stories allow us to live vicariously through conversations everyday families had about the direction of the Civil Rights Movement and how its work would affect their lives. We see a side of the Selma march on stage that isn’t taught in schools or written in history books.”
