Changing with the ages: Theatre at the Center offers civil rights stage story to welcome Black History Month

Educational and entertaining are the rules Charlie Misovye uses to choose the stage selections for Theatre at the Center's Theatre for Young Audiences schedule.

"We offer five show a year, with four of those during the school year and one as a summer production," said Misovye, who has been with Theatre at the Center in Munster coordinating the youth productions since December 2004.

"And by planning and booking a year in advance, it helps us to assure the best possible selections when clearing rights and permission."

Of all the young audiences shows, the first offering of the new year celebrates Black History Month and is always one of the most carefully considered and emphasized performances.

This month, Theatre at the Center's Theatre for Young Audiences is presenting the Theatreworks USA production of "The Color of Justice," a play inspired by events and people surrounding the civil rights case of Brown v. Board of Education.

"This children's show provides audiences with a fictional tale of real-life events which will help audiences remember just how far the United States has come since the 1950s," Misovye said.

The play runs Jan. 23 through Jan. 27 on the Theatre at the Center stage at 1040 Ridge Road in Munster.

"The Color of Justice" is about a courageous young girl and her efforts as a great warrior for justice for the battle for equal rights.

"This was a time of segregated restaurants and schools, separate restrooms and drinking fountains," Misovye said. "It was also a time when 'separate but equal' was upheld by the United States Supreme Court."

He said the play shares the confusion of how 8-year-old Grace Carter does not understand why her school has to settle for "hand-me-downs" from "white" schools. Most importantly, she and her family don't want to be treated like a "special" group of people.

He said the 60-minute play is a fictional account of "just one episode" in the struggle of African Americans to obtain equal treatment under the law.

The play was written by Cheryl L. Davis, a graduate of Columbia University Law School.

"Our youth theater programming is nonprofit and we work with sponsors to help keep the ticket prices down," Misovye said.

"We have about 25 school groups already booked. And our next production for 'Junie B. Jones,' which is in April, is also filling up fast."