Actress Amanda Warren tells us why we should all go see Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop

The Mountaintop by Katori Hall, directed by Patricia McGregor, stars Tony Award nominee Jon Michael Hill and Amanda Warren. 

After giving his influential “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Tony Award nominee Jon Michael Hill, Elementary, Superior Donuts) retires to the Lorraine Motel where he meets Camae (Amanda Warren, East New York, Dickinson, Gossip Girl), a mysterious maid with some unexpected news. The legacy of America’s most renowned civil rights activist is exposed to show his genuine humanity as a lightning storm rages outside. 

The actors graciously gave The Official Black Magazine an interview so that we could understand more about why this play is so important to them and what they hope the audience will take away from it.  

Here is what we discussed with Amanda Warren 

Cox: Amanda, you are such an accomplished, classically trained actress. What about The Mountaintop drew you in? 

Warren: When I read the script, I thought it was one of the most powerful and refreshing things to see. You see this story of this man, who was very much looked at as a saint, becoming humane and human. The humanity of it all just leaped off the pages for me. 

Cox: How was it working with Katori Hall and Patricia McGregor? 

Katori was an absolute genius with this project. I know some of her past and recent projects. I’ve always had this respect and admiration for her. The fact that I can work off her written words has been one of the highlights of my professional career so far. And I’ve done a lot of work, but Katori isn’t like the other children at the table. She’s extraordinary. 

Patricia is another particular person, like Katori. While at Yale, we met in a very accomplished actor’s scene study class named Glenn Fleshler. We did many things together at Yale, so this was just perfect timing. Everything aligned, and what better way to work with someone special than on a masterful project? 

This is a special moment for storytelling in Los Angeles right now. 

Cox: Camae is such a compelling character in the play; what about her made you decide to take on the role? 

Warren: I had just come off of 21 episodes on a broadcast network. The show is a procedural drama in which I was number one on the call sheet. It was good coming back home to the theater. Camae was of interest to me because she had a refreshing character. She presented the opportunity to showcase other talents in my arsenal that people didn’t think of or know I had. In my career, some haven’t seen me as sexy or funny enough for specific roles, and Camae is this femme fatale who is flirtatious and seductive. Playing her, I’m trying to showcase what else I can contribute through storytelling, and that was, again, just so refreshing. 

Coming off of my latest project, which I just mentioned, and being able to do this was also a liberating feeling. I could go in and fly with Camae. I get to ride along with the audience and Jon. It’s been a dream. 

Cox: How was it working with Jon Michael Hill and creating the chemistry we see on stage? 

Warren: I couldn’t have been blessed with a better scene partner every single day than Jon. He’s revelatory and just magnificent. He’s a compassionate person who was willing and available to share the stage with me and the choices I wanted to make with Camae and us. 

In the past, we have exchanged pleasantries several times. I’ve always held him in high regard, and guest-starred on the Detroit 1-8-7 show he was in. Even then, I wanted to work with him again. And in a full circle, it happens. It’s crazy what can happen when you set your sights on something. 

Cox: You said this production was compelling because the writing and the reviews shared the same sentiment. From your perspective, why do you think it moves the audience? 

Warren: I think what moves people is that they don’t know what’s coming. From moment to moment during the play, you don’t know. People will come in with the expectation that they know everything about this individual or what they heard, and we challenge that. We’re challenging it because you are getting to know him as a human being. We are humanizing him and reimagining what last night was like. 

Cox: This human element of the play also has an underlying message of forgiveness. 

Warren: And that’s what resonated with me. It was personal, and I usually don’t get this personal about my beliefs. But I think at times about the mistakes that I’ve made and whether God will forgive me. 

Seeing this man, whom we have all revered-on stage, become very human will remind us that we all get to be human at times and that none of us are perfect. Just because we’ve made mistakes or mishaps doesn’t mean we need to be banished into cancellation. Something I think about this play is that if he were here during this time with the same things discovered about him, would he be canceled? Would he just get written off because there is no room for forgiveness? 

I say this because God forgives, and so should we. 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Monday: No performance

Tuesday – Friday: 8:00 p.m.

Saturday: 3:00 and 8:00 p.m.

Sunday: 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.

Closing Night is July 9, 2023

LOCATION

Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse

10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets currently priced at $39.00 – $129.00. Available by phone at 310.208.2028 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.org. Fees may apply.  Rush tickets for each day’s performance are made available to the general public one hour before showtime at the box office. $35.00 General/$15.00 Student.