While the end of Oakland Theater Project’s production of “The Mountaintop”— Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall’s imagining of the last night of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life — is no surprise, the journey getting there is intriguing, fascinating, funny and powerful.
William Thomas Hodgson plays the civil rights leader as the fully human fellow, foibles and all, that writer Hall intended. He’s matched by Sam Jackson as Camae, the smart, sassy maid who delivers him a cup of coffee, and much more, in Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, early in the morning on April 4, 1968.
Directed with compassion, humor and precision by James Mercer II and Michael Socrates Moran, the actors are on fire. Their banter, flirtation and discussion of the state of the world are simply riveting throughout the 90-minute, no-intermission show.
They start out smoking together and teasing each other. As their encounter progresses, the levity gives way to passion, conflict, anger and fear and a truly spiritual reckoning. And their pithy dialogue references concrete details, from MLK’s relationships with his wife and daughter, to Malcolm X’s philosophy an more.
In a particularly engrossing sequence, housekeeper Camae sermonizes at the request of MLK, literally wearing his shoes, and she tears it up.
Interestingly, the centerpiece of the set is not a bed. In program notes, OTP artistic director Moran says, “The play is set in the Lorraine Motel, but it is also set atop [MLK Jr.’s] grave. As a result, we have chosen to set the play within his tomb. … This man of freedom cannot free himself from death when it comes knocking.”
The production is bolstered by vivid sound and projection designs, from the opening strains of Sam Cook’s “It’s Been a Long Time” and images of pivotal moments in the civil rights movement to the closing, a lengthy montage of photos detailing how such strife has continued vigorously through the decades.
Given the divided state of the world in 2026, the show is remarkably relevant. As Moran also states in the program: “Dr. King reminds us of the great, strange and sweet paradox that we are most free when we enable someone else to be their best self.”
OTP’s sublime production of “The Mountaintop” —named after the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech King delivered on the day before he died — offers an excellent example of that spirit.
Oakland Theater Project’s “The Mountaintop” continues through Feb. 15 at Flax, 1501 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. Tickets are $10-$70 at oaklandtheaterproject.org.