What would it have been like to attend the legendary meeting between Branch Rickey — the front office guru who engineered Jackie Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 — famed singer Paul Robeson, boxer Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson himself and dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson?
Even those men alleged to have met probably don't know because that famed meeting almost certainly did not take place. But the Karamu House theatre program has brought the improbable to life, with "Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting."
The play centers around a discussion of the challenges Jackie Robinson would face when he joins the Dodgers as the first black man in the major leagues. However, the subtexts of each man's life — Robeson's impending exile from the U.S., "Bojangles" Robinson's gambling addiction and Louis' shrinking finances — underscore the dramatic reality of everyday life for African American males in 1947.
"Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting" is an Ed Schmidt play and is directed by Tony Sias.
Where?
Karamu House
2355 East 89th Street
Cleveland
When?
thru July 29
Thurs.-Sat. 8 p.m.
Sun. 3 p.m.
Cost?
$15 Thurs. and Sun; $17 Fri. and Sat. Call (216) 795.7070 or visit www.karamu.com for more information.
