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The Bronx, NY—Stepping firmly into the continuing debate and discourse on race and identity, the Lehman College theatre program presents Anna Deavere Smith’s “Fires in the Mirror,” directed by guest artist Claudia Acosta, with performances running Wednesday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 18. A talkback with director Claudia Acosta and the cast will take place after the Nov. 15 performance.
FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: Reserve tickets here.
“Fires in the Mirror” was created in the aftermath of the 1991 Crown Heights riots, which erupted after a Hasidic man’s car jumped a curb, killing Gavin Cato, a seven-year-old Black child. Later, Yankel Rosenbaum, a Hasidic rabbinical student, was stabbed and killed in retaliation.
The ensuing riots that wracked Crown Heights’ previous atmosphere of tolerance for its divergent cultures made national headlines and pointed to the growing friction in racial and cultural relations across America.
Distilling the lives and voices of 26 of the incident’s survivors, “Fires in the Mirror” touches upon issues of identity, belonging, and diversity of experience, which continue to have relevance in New York City, the U.S., and across the globe.
These performances are the Lehman College theatre program’s latest contribution to a growing tradition of productions addressing topics around social justice and the history of New York City—most recently, “¡Pa’lante!” and James Baldwin’s “The Amen Corner.”
About Lehman College
Lehman College of The City University of New York ranks among the top five institutions in the nation for fostering social mobility. A four-year Hispanic-Serving Institution in the Bronx, it offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees as well as certificate programs in the liberal arts, sciences, and professions. The College’s community-driven mission and notable academic programs attract a diverse, international enrollment of more than 12,000 students who take courses on a 37-acre, tree-lined campus and online. Thousands more community members benefit yearly from a variety of cultural, educational, health, and economic outreach programs and services that Lehman offers.
