The Mountaintop
The 2010 Olivier Award Winner for Best Play by Katori Hall
A re-imagined depiction of Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night on earth set entirely in Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel on the eve of his assassination in 1968. After delivering his famous “I’ve been to the mountaintop speech”, King goes to the Lorraine Motel to rest. His world is spun on his axis when he meets Camae, a young, feisty and foul-mouthed maid, who delivers his room service.
Directed by Michael Shaw
Approximate running time: 90 minutes. There will be no intermission.
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Desert Theatre League Nominations:
Outstanding Production of a Drama – Professional
The Michael Cruickshank Award for Outstanding Director of a Drama – Professional, Michael Shaw
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama – Professional, Cortez Johnson
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama – Professional, Shanté Deloach
Outstanding Set Design – Professional, Thomas L. Valach
Outstanding Costume Design – Professional, Frank Cazares
The Ron Hamm Award for Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design – Professional, Lynda Shaeps
Outstanding Lighting Design – Professional, Derrick McDaniel
Outstanding Sound Design – Professional, Clark Dugger
Outstanding Props and Special Effects, Greg Thorneycroft
Desert Theatre League Awards:
Outstanding Production of a Drama – Professional
The Michael Cruickshank Award for Outstanding Director of a Drama – Professional, Michael Shaw
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama – Professional, Shanté Deloach
Outstanding Set Design – Professional, Thomas L. Valach
Outstanding Sound Design – Professional, Clark Dugger
Outstanding Props and Special Effects, Greg Thorneycroft
THE MOUNTAINTOP IS A MASTERFUL, MOVING PIECE OF THEATER!
Funny and emotionally charged… a powerful, poetic take on [King’s] legacy.
Intriguing, shocking, funny… a stunning evening.
Mar 04 2022 - Mar 13 2022
Show TimesFridays and Saturdays: 7:30 PM
Saturdays and Sundays: 2:00 PM
Pearl McManus Theater
at the Palm Springs Woman’s Club
314 S Cahuilla Road
Downtown Palm Springs, CA 92262
The Cast
Shanté DeLoach (Camae)
Shanté is thrilled to be making her Dezart Performs debut with such an exciting and poignant piece, and she is very excited to be back in the theatre space! Classically trained, Shanté has portrayed roles from Shakespeare and Sophocles to Stephen Adly Guirgis and Neil LaBute, working in major American repertory theatres as well as black box venues. Most recently, reprising her role as Puck, she appeared in Atlanta Shakespeare Company’s 2021-2022 season opener, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. Since graduating from AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts Los Angeles, Shanté has appeared in dozens of projects spanning the gamut from television commercials, to film, to primetime TV. Her production company Eleventh Story Productions – founded with three colleagues in 2013 – is currently adapting their 2016 web series THE PARTITIONED for television. Most recently, Shanté can be seen in the upcoming feature film HONK FOR JESUS, SAVE YOUR SOUL. She is ever grateful for the love and support of her family and friends all of these years, despite her erratic and annoying schedule. Love ya’ll. XO
Cortez Johnson (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)
Cortez is the grateful recipient of the Craig Noel: Actor of the Year Award. Johnson was raised in Chicago, Illinois and studied Theatre Performance at Southern Illinois University of Carbondale and Columbia College of Chicago. Johnson’s theatre credits stretch from the Caribbean, Europe, to various parts of Africa and Asia. Johnson’s favorite theatre productions include THE BALLAD OF EMMETT TILL, BLUE DOOR, HONKY (PBS), BROWNSVILLE SONG (B-Side for Tray), A RAISIN IN THE SUN, ANTIGONE, SEVEN, PREEMPTIVE and THE BOMB-ITTY OF ERRORS.
Photo Gallery
