The Mountaintop a relevant reminder to raise our voice

Jamie Ulmer • January 26, 2026

As we begin 2026, the power of The Mountaintop feels particularly important and relevant. Our cast and crew have felt the sobering truth of that relevance as they have explored this powerful script. We are grateful that you have chosen to be part of that journey and hope you will find inspiration in the experience.


Early in the production process, the cast and members of the production team traveled to Memphis. Our director, Darren Canady, says the company’s understanding of the show underwent a profound shift during the trip.


Among the sites they visited was the National Civil Rights Museum, which includes the Lorraine Motel. There, they were able to see Dr. King’s room. As Darren reflected following the visit, “It’s hard not to feel the energies of what had occurred there.”


The trip also revealed other sobering realities of the civil rights movement, including the murder of Larry Payne, a 16-year-old killed by police during the sanitation workers’ strike just days before Dr. King was assassinated. The group attempted to visit his grave but were unable to find it in what they described as a poorly maintained cemetery. It felt like a painfully symbolic reminder of a forgotten voice, one of many everyday voices silenced for standing up for what was right.


One of the most powerful, and controversial, aspects of the play is its deeply human portrayal of Dr. King. He is not placed on a pedestal. He is shown as a man with holes in his socks, capable of making imperfect decisions. Some have criticized the script for this approach.


Playwright Katori Hall, however, pushes back, saying: “A warts-and-all portrayal of Dr. King is important because there’s this extraordinary human being who is actually quite ordinary. I feel as though by portraying him with his flaws and foibles, we, too, can see—as human beings who have these flaws—that we, too, can be Kings; we, too, can carry on that baton that he has passed down to us.”


Anyone’s voice can be raised. Some may speak with greater elegance, and some may be forgotten over time—but the truth and the demand for justice carried in those voices will endure.


Jamie Ulmer

Executive Director

Theatre Lawrence News & Announcements

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Green historical marker on stone wall: Clayborn Temple.

Memphis Trip Series: Clayborn Temple

January 23, 2026
“THE MOUNTAINTOP” MEMPHIS TRIP SERIES: CLAYBORN TEMPLE Clayborn Temple, formerly Second Presbyterian Church, was a historic place in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 for local architectural significance. It was upgraded to national significance under Clayborn Temple in 2017 due to its role in the events of the Sanitation Workers' Strike of 1968. On April 28, 2025, the church was destroyed in a fire, assumed to be intentionally set. Reflections from the cast: “The importance of Clayborn Temple to the Civil Rights movement in Memphis is undeniable. It was a cornerstone of community, culture, and religion. We were the only people at the temple when we arrived. A holy place, filled with such meaning, the souls, ghosts and stories of those who fought the good fight destroyed, burned down and seemingly forgotten. I can only hope that it can be restored to its former glory to honor the memory of everyone who called this place home and a safe place.” – Himee Kamatuka  “Clayborn Temple is historical, yet spiritually awakening. The experience embodies what it means to be on hollow ground. My immediate intrinsic thought was sadness — a cry for what was lost. Ironically, the resonance of the past seemed to be even louder, especially given the timbre of the country present. On our return to Clayborn Temple for a second time, and after our visit to the gravesite of Larry Payne, the sixteen-year-old boy whose life was lost at the hands of the police on the very site of the temple, I felt an eerie shift and a deep sense of loss — loss for Larry Payne, loss for Dr. King in his attempt to see the strike to success, and a loss for humanity’s fight for equality and peace.” – Tyson Williams
Couple at a table, holding hands. Man looks pensive, woman smiles.

Road trip to Memphis

January 21, 2026
Early in the production process for "The Mountaintop", the cast, director, and stage manager took a road trip to Memphis to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Martin Luther King Jr., and the climate and time period in which MLK Jr. was assassinated. Follow along over the next few weeks as we share snippets from their trip about what they learned and the feelings they experienced during their time in Memphis. This first installment gives an overview of the team's experience.
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