Play on Life of MLK at Pitt-Bradford

The final event in the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will be “Ain’t Got Long to Stay Here,” a one-man play written and acted by Barry Scott and based on the life of King. The show will take place at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 in the Bromeley Family Theater. Tickets are $10 for the public and free for all students, faculty and staff.

During the 90-minute presentation, Scott recreates numerous figures from the Civil Rights era, presenting differing opinions and personalities. The performance is followed by a question-and-answer session.

Scott is the founder and producing artistic director of the American Negro Playwright Theater at Tennessee State University and has acting credits nationwide, including on television’s “I’ll Fly Away” and “In the Heat of the Night.”

Scott is so convincing in his portrayal of King that Coretta Scott King once complimented him on his realistic and honest depiction of her late husband.

He has performed excerpts of King’s speeches for the Humanitarian Awards Ceremony honoring President Jimmy Carter and was recorded on the “March On” album benefitting the National Civil Rights Museum.

Scott will also be speaking to students in one of the classes of Dr. Tony Gaskew, assistant professor of criminal justice and chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day committee.

A brief video created by Pitt-Bradford broadcast communication students will be shown before Scott’s performance. The video shows members of the campus community talking about what King’s legacy means to them.

In addition the Pitt Improvers and Diamond Steppers, Pitt-Bradford student groups, will perform before Scott’s presentation.

For disability-related needs, contact the Office of Disability Resources and Services at 814-362-7609 or arj4@pitt.edu.

Barry Scott will be my guest on Monday's LiveLine on 1490 WESB and online at WESB.com at 12:30 p.m. Monday.