Young John Lewis - Theatrical Outfit

Wed., Jun. 4 – Sun., Jun. 29CRITIC’S PICK:Young John Lewis, Theatrical Outfit :Atlanta composer Eugene H. Russell teamed up with hip hop playwright Psalmayene 24 for this new musical that focuses on a momentous decade in the youth of John Lewis. It covers his trajectory from student activist to Civil Rights eminence, a feat Lewis achieved while still in his twenties. “As we enter a new age of political turmoil in which the rights and values that Congressman Lewis fought for throughout his life are under threat, we hope that this powerful new musical will help a new generation of political leaders to find their voice,” says Artistic Director Matt Torney. The musical, a collaboration with the John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation, is a testament to the late congressman’s defiant optimism, radical love, and creative action, says Psalmayene 24, calling those traits “immediate and eternal examples for all of us.” — Kevin C. Madigan