News Release

‘A Walk Back Through King’ highlights observance

January 19, 2010

For the twelfth consecutive year, PenOwl Productions and Penn State Harrisburg partnered to celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as the nation celebrated the civil rights leader’s birthday.

The January 18 production before a capacity audience in the Olmsted Auditorium looked back at the 11 past performances – all written and directed by Assistant Professor of Sociology Dorothy King, the founder of PenOwl.

“A Walk Back Through King: Vignettes from the King Plays” featured excerpts from previous Martin Luther King Day plays with added musical accompaniment.

Dorothy King explained to Harrisburg’s CBS 21 TV, which covered the event, that she is “passionate about talking about racial issues. I feel we’re embarrassed about our history and I’m excited about it. I think we should talk about it; if we’ve made mistakes say we’re sorry and move on.”

Again stressing Dr. King’s legacy of diversity and inclusion, “A Walk Back Through King” included members of the Harrisburg-based PenOwl ensemble and featured vocal selections from the college’s Director of Student Affairs Felicia Brown-Haywood. Former faculty member Robert Scott, president of the PenOwl Board, and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Mukund Kulkarni offered welcoming comments to the estimated 200 in attendance.