Jan. 11, 2012

Mixed Blood Theatre to perform at DWU on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

MITCHELL – In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dakota Wesleyan University opens its doors for a free presentation to students and the public.

Mixed Blood Theatre Company of Minneapolis will be back on campus next week with the humor-laced biography of Dr. Ronald McNair, the African American scientist aboard the ill-fated space shuttle Challenger. The event, called “Black Eagle,” will be performed at 7 p.m., Monday, Jan. 16, in the East Main Dining Room within the Rollins Campus Center on DWU’s campus. The event is sponsored by the Multicultural Committee and TRiO Student Support Services and is open and free to the public.

As “Black Eagle” begins, McNair answers taped questions from school children after the Challenger launch has been delayed again. His responses describe a remarkable journey from a small, segregated South Carolina town to the elite ranks of NASA astronaut.

Mixed Blood Theatre Company is a multi-racial professional company promoting cultural pluralism, individual equality and artistic excellence. Founded in 1976, the company is dedicated to the spirit of Dr. King’s dream.

Andre Samples, who portrays McNair, has previously performed in Mixed Blood’s productions of “Boy,” “Cut Flowers,” and “the Boys Next Door,” and has toured for the theatre in “Jackie Robinson” and “GunPlay.” “Black Eagle” is written and directed by Warren C. Bowles, the veteran Mixed Blood actor best known for his portrayal of King.