On Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, a group of Watertown High School  students gathered at the American Repertory Theater near Harvard Square to see “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992.” The trip, which was organized by WHS English teacher Malcolm Cooke, gave students the opportunity to see the play and to attend a pre-show discussion about race and racism at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

The play, originally written and performed as a one-person show by professor and actor Anna Deavere Smith in 1994, documents the reactions of dozens of LA residents to the Rodney King verdict and the riots that ensued.

King was an African-American man who was a victim of police brutality in April 1992. While driving under the influence, he was pulled over and beaten repeatedly by members of the Los Angeles Police Department. A neighbor recorded the whole incident and it was aired on the television, causing a national outcry. The play, which Smith rewrote last year for a cast of five, features the reactions of dozens of people of different classes, professions, genders, and races who witnessed the LA riots.

Four WHS students went to see the show. One of these, senior Lilia Mkrtchyan, was intrigued by the shifts from scene to scene.

“It was interesting,” she said. “I liked the transitions between scenes. It’s also important to talk about the past so that people who don’t know about it will understand.” 

Mr. Cooke was thrilled with opportunity, as American Repertory Theater had arranged for students to attend the special showing for free. 

“When the A.R.T. reached out with tickets, it was a no-brainer to get our students involved!” he said. “We need to keep the lessons of history alive, especially lessons about tolerance and compassion.”

Another student, senior Elizabeth McGrath, also had intriguing thoughts on the play, saying, “Through the authentic telling of the story using exact quotes from eyewitnesses, lawyers, and many other significant people, I gained further insight into how the trial and the subsequent riots impacted different groups and individuals.” 

All in all, WHS students were glad to experience this powerful production, which gave them insight into a series of events that focused public attention on the problems of systemic racism. The students and Mr. Cooke were moved by this play because it gave them a window into a troubled past and a lens to see into a more hopeful future.

–Oct. 5, 2022–