Valencia College Play Examines Fallout of Deaths of Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis

Valencia+College+Play+Examines+Fallout+of+Deaths+of+Trayvon+Martin%2C+Jordan+Davis

The Valencia College theater department presents an original docudrama, “Division: The Trayvon/Jordan Project” in the Valencia East Campus Black Box Theater, from Feb. 11 to 16, 2015. The 90-minute performance will examine the deaths of deaths of two Florida teens; Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla., and Jordan Davis in Jacksonville, Fla.

After spending a year conducting more than 100 hours of interviews with different individuals – lawyers, media personalities, political activists, professors, students and people intimately involved in the two tragedies — students were able to connect with with individuals close to the two tragedies and collect photos from the trials marches and protests, and subsequently were able to use these as verbatim to help steer the play.

The play was written by John DiDonna, chair of Valencia’s theater department, in collaboration with students William Adkins, Aidan Bohan-Moulton, Carolyn Ducker, Phillip Edwards, Nathan Jones, Anneliese Moon, Elina Moon, Stelson Telfort and Michael Sabbagh. It will explore many topics which have been discussed in mainstream media over the past few years, including stereotypes, raising a child in today’s society, guns, media, as well as the gulf between division and change.

A talk-back with the director/writers and cast will be held after each performance of the play.

General admission tickets cost $12. Senior citizens, Valencia faculty, staff and students may purchase tickets for $10. Tickets can be purchased online at www.valenciacollege.edu/arts.

To coincide with the play, the Anita S. Wooten Gallery at Valencia College East Campus will host “Lost Sons of America,” from Jan. 30 through Feb. 27. The exhibit features photographs from the archives of the Associated Press and the Florida Times Union, which document the events surrounding the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis and Michael Brown. The gallery is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will also be open from 5 to 9:30 p.m. on the evenings of performances (Feb. 11-14 and Feb. 16) and on Feb. 15 from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information on the gallery and the exhibition, call 407-582-2298 or 407-582-2268.