Provided by The Creative and Performing Arts Center (CAPAC)
The Creative and Performing Arts Center (CAPAC), a production company based in the Washington, D.C., metro area, proudly introduces an original script that depicts a time in the 1960s when school desegregation and integration were part of the critical battleground of the Civil Rights Movement. The Courageous Four will uncover an unforgettable story of some local heroines, Mrs. Zella Brown, Mrs. Maxine Coleman, Mrs. Fannie W. Fitzgerald and Mrs. Mary G. Porter. These educators were the first African-American teachers selected by the administration to integrate Prince William County Public Schools by being reassigned to all-white elementary schools.
To complement The Courageous Four, there will be a performance of Tom Quinn’s Freedom Riders, a one-act play, produced under special arrangements with Encore Performance Publishing that is set in 1961, as two female Harvard students contemplate whether they should join the Freedom Rides. As the audience travels along the students’ journey, they will meet Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mrs. Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Senator Bobby Kennedy, President Theodore Roosevelt, Dr. W.E.B DuBois and many others, to include some who were on the opposing side of the Civil Rights struggle. The actors will reenact lunch counter sit-ins and the dark days of Jim Crow.
According to Denise McPhail, CAPAC’s executive director and founder, “CAPAC has been delivering educational, culturally diverse programming to the community for over 15 years. We are thrilled to introduce the story of The Courageous Four about women who stood up during a challenging time during our nation’s history to make a difference for themselves and others. We are also excited to present Freedom Riders, which will allow audiences to experience the Civil Rights Freedom Rides.”
Come out, and witness history as these performers bring this struggle alive through the words of historical figures, songs, and recreations. You don’t want to miss this collaborative double-feature, including a world premiere production!
These performances will take place Feb. 15-17 at Charles J. Colgan Senior High School in Manassas.
The Colgan students and staff have been working in partnership with CAPAC, Inc. for a year. This collaboration will premiere some of our local talent, who have worked tirelessly to tell the story of some of our pioneers, who were instrumental in making a positive change for all. For more information, visit capacweb.org.
