ACLU Presents Uppity's Democracy on Stage

St. Louis' own critically acclaimed That Uppity Theatre Company recently collaborated with the ACLU to present a series of short theatrical pieces based on real-life cases of civil liberties violations. The series, called "Democracy on Stage," debuted to a standing ovation at the ACLU Bill of Rights Dinner in fall 2002 at the Mad Art Gallery.

"The beauty of live performance is that it can illuminate critical issues in an engaging way for a wider audience," said Artistic Director Joan Lipkin.

"Democracy on Stage" has the potential to illustrate the range of important work that the ACLU does, and these particular pieces show how many segments of our society experience violation of their civil liberties and in some instances, on a regular basis."

Lipkin worked with ACLU Executive Director Matt LeMieux as well as Board Members Mondi Ghasedi, Arthur Hoffman, Gayla Hoffman, Shannon Lopata and Adam Zaretsky to consult on background information for the scripts.

Read What People Said About The Performance

The performance, which featured a racially and ethnically diverse cast, consisted of three short pieces, each of which addresses a specific case.

"Off Duty Officer" focused on the story of a police officer who was penalized by his superior for speaking openly to African-American youth while off duty about racism in the police force.

"Wedding Bell Blues" dealt with the case of an unmarried couple living together with their three children who are asked to leave their home because of occupancy laws relating to marriage.

"Tall Tales" told the story of an eighth-grader suspended from her school for sharing a fictional story she had written with some of her friends.

The intergenerational and diverse cast included a range of young as well as experienced actors from throughout the St. Louis area. Participants included students from Roosevelt, Beaumont, Central and Visual Performing Arts High Schools who are teen members from the Community Health-in-Partnership Program touring program, as well as students from Kirkwood School.

The script was developed and directed by Joan Lipkin, Artistic Director of That Uppity Theatre Company, with additional staging by choreographer J.T. Ricroft and dramaturgy by Erica Nagel. The sound design was by Robin Weatherall. The actors included: Eric J. Conners, Brandon Curry, Larry Dell, Clifton Gordon, Brandon Gragg, Melissa Humbarger, Greg Johnston, Hannah Joyce, Laura Kirk, Annie Saraceno and Donna Weinsting.