1999-2010

Thursday, February 18, 2010

The Man Who Would Be Martin Luther King: Antonio D. Charity opens Off Broadway, is reviewed by The New York Times


Actor Antonio D. Charity, the gifted and charismatic performer who wants a chance to portray Martin Luther King on film, gets first mention in the reviews for Black Angels Over Tuskegee, the new play about trailblazing African-American World War II fighter pilots that opened Off Broadway this week.

The New York Times leads the praise of this "uplifting, inspirational melodrama" this morning, concluding: "By the end, when the pilots overcame their obstacles and finally got up into the air to the swelling of music, tears welled up in my eyes ..."


The hosannas were echoed by the influential and world-syndicated Associated Press:

"This powerful play... is well-staged and the characters so realistic that the audience can't help but be thoroughly moved by the time the narrator reaches the end of the journal."

The Times notes that "the folksy narrator (Antonio D. Charity)... provides historical context and dictionary definitions of racism and segregation. 'You see, I believe in the principle that all men are created equal,' he says at the start."


That portion of Charity's performance could show scouts for the MLK biopic now being developed by Steve Spielberg and DreamWorks that the actor wants to star in. His quest to have his work seen by Spielberg and fellow producers Suzanne dePasse and Madison Jones has turned into a national crusade to give a deserving actor the role he has been preparing for his entire life (Charity has portrayed the Rev. Dr. King onstage off-Broadway and as far back as high school!).


Hundreds of friends and colleagues and fans have joined the Facebook group, "Antonio D. Charity should play Martin Luther King in DreamWorks' biopic," and many more have added their support.

As Antonio tells his supporters on the Facebook page:

"Thanks again everybody! I'm just looking for an opportunity to audition for the role, to compete for it. That's all I need."

“Black Angels Over Tuskegee” is playing at St. Luke’s Theater, 308 West 46th Street, Clinton; (212) 239-6200, www.telecharge.com.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great article. Please keep us posted.