KCC Puts On Play Where The Audience Is Part of the Performance

(Press Release From Kellogg Community College)

Oct. 8, 2015 -- Kellogg Community College's Center for Diversity and Innovation will present an old-fashioned courtroom drama with a twist this month, with the audience serving as the jury.

The KCC CDI will present Todd Logan's play "Defamation" from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the auditorium of the College's newly renovated Davidson Visual and Performing Arts Center, on campus at 450 North Ave. in Battle Creek.

The play explores issues of race, gender, religion, class and law with a premise centered on a trial in which an African-American woman is suing a Jewish real-estate developer for defamation for accusing her of stealing his watch.

The trial portion of the play will last approximately 70 minutes, after which a 15-minute audience deliberation will be led by the judge and the audience will decide the outcome. A post-show discussion will follow with the cast and playwright on select topics highlighted in the play.

On the play's official website, www.defamationtheplay.com, playwright Logan says the play is mean to generate such discussions in a country where many communities continue to be separated by issues such as race, religion, ethnicity or class.

"I wanted to write a play that encourages greater tolerance and understanding by spurring self-examination and promoting compelling civil discourse," Logan says. "Making the audience the jury and then inviting the 'jury' for a post-show discussion provides a forum to begin that process."

For more information about the "Defamation" event at KCC, contact Timeaka Reese, executive assistant at the CDI, at reeset@kellogg.edu or 269-565-7946.

For more information about the KCC CDI, including an upcoming events calendar, visit www.kellogg.edu/kcccdi.