The Mountaintop Showcases Peak Performances by Two Veteran Actors

Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett give praiseworthy performances in Katori Hall’s new Broadway play The Mountaintop. Making his official Broadway debut, Jackson plays the role of the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., while Bassett plays an otherworldly hotel maid with a strange mission. The circumstances of the play are set in King’s hotel room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN, the evening of April 3, 1968, the day prior to King’s assassination. Jackson, through artfully crafted vocal intonations and mannerisms, successfully evokes the spirit of the civil rights leader. The emotionality expressed by Bassett’s performance easily swing between the earthy and the divine. So complementary are the performances of this veteran duo that they seem like sumo wrestlers interlocked in a dramatic grappling. Both Jackson and Bassett literally exhale palpable life into the persona and limbs of their characters.

Katori Hall's bold production draws an all-too human controversial portrait of Dr. King as an ailing, chain-smoking, fussing man of God struggling to find significance in his political activism in contrast to the publicly pensive, resolute, silent saint he was perpetually expected to portray to the world. The heart of the play is the fanciful speculation of the waning hours of a great man whose destiny was to fight for the dignity and justice of African-Americans, the working class, and the poor of this country by affirming their civil rights. Hall uses this backdrop as an opportunity to present against these noble, earthly issues the grand themes of immorality and good, faltering grace and salvation. Though feministic at times, Hall manages to balance this perspective with the large ideas she brilliantly illuminates through her play. Before being transported from London to Broadway, the Society of London Theatre awarded The Mountaintop its 2010 Olivier Award for Best New Play.

Directed by Kenny Leon, who, incidentally this winter season also directed the Broadway production of Stick Fly, The Mountaintop handsomely showcases Samuel L. Jackson’s and Angela Bassett’s immense theatricality. Acclaimed musician Branford Marsalis composed the play's original score. This intimately gripping and surrealistically provocative theatrical production scales the mountain summit and receives 4.5 out of 5 stars. The Mountaintop appears at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theater, 242 West 45th Street, NYC and runs through January 22, 2012.

About the Author
Brian K. Hemphill is an artist, blogger, teacher, and public speaker. He has explored a number of artistic disciplines, including fiction and poetry writing, visual art, drama, dance, and music. He now offers consultations, one-one-one coaching sessions, workshop presentations, and book talks about the factors that foster artistic creativity and expressiveness. His new book is entitled The Elements of Creative and Expressive Artistry: A Philosophy for Creating Everything Artistic. Hemphill lives in the New York metropolitan area.

About the Book
The Elements of Creative and Expressive Artistry: A Philosophy for Creating Everything Artistic is an all-artist guide which identifies the nine root elements common to all artistic fields and explains their significance in creating expressive art. This book is for adult and young adult performers, writers, and visual artists. The Elements of Creative and Expressive Artistry uses hundreds of relevant examples, citations, and quotations from prominent art professionals, philosophers, scientists, past and present, to support over 40 chapters. Through warm and insightful narrative, Hemphill offers advice from painters, sculptors, dancers, choreographers, actors, film directors, musicians, teachers, psychologists, scientists, philosophers, and critics, writing on all forms of art, including visual arts, literary arts, dramatic arts, musical arts, dance arts, and hybrid art forms. For advanced artists, critics, and teachers looking to understand artistic depth and nuance, The Elements of Creative and Expressive Artistry presents 36 additional elements branching from the nine root elements and suggests other avenues for artistic investigation and development. Although mainly written for the artist and arts professional, the non-artist who has a general love for art will also gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of art.

Book Ordering
Hardcover, softcover, and e-book editions of The Elements of Creative and Expressive Artistry are available at http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/, and other booksellers. Autographed copies of the book can be ordered through the author's website at http://www.elementsofartistry.net/.

Discount Book Orders
Art associations or other groups ordering 10 or more copies can receive a 15% discount code by emailing bkhemphill@ElementsOfArtistry.net.

Booksellers' Note
This title is listed as returnable in Ingram’s and Baker & Taylor’s Title Database. Email bkhemphill@ElementsOfArtistry.net regarding setting up book signings.

Book Information
Title: The Elements of Creative and Expressive Artistry: A Philosophy for Creating Everything Artistic
Publisher: iUniverse Publishing
Publication Date: September 2011
Number of pages: 600
ISBN FORMAT PRICE
9780595483013 - 6x9 Perfect Bound Softcover - $33.95
9780595603893 - E-Book - $9.99

9781462005840 - 6x9 Dust Jacket Hardcover - $43.95