“Words That Made the Difference” Hosted by Unity Palo Alto
Palo Alto, California
February 11, 2023 at 7:00pm PT
Narrator 1 Melzena Murphy
Narrator 2 Samantha Mathews
Court Recorder/Clerk Carrie Brobeck
The Judges
Chief Justice Earl Warren Gene Kahane
Judge Walter Huxman Jim Mitulski
Judge Arthur Mellot Paul Wcislo
Judge Delmas Hill Frank De Martini
NAACP Attorneys
Thurgood Marshall Amos White
Robert Carter Curtis Walker
John Scott Gary J Moore
Charles Bledsoe Jeffrey Moon
Jack Greenberg Paul Bisesi
Board of Education Defense Attorney
Lester Goodell William Mahone
Plaintiffs
Oliver Brown Tory Williams
Alma Jean Galloway Gloria Cunha
Lena Mae Carper Billie J. Simmons
Katherine Carper Awurama Obleton
Silas Fleming Tory Williams
Witnesses
Darlene Watson Jennifer Orlick
Hugh Speer Russ Whismore
Wilbur Brookover Alan Coyne
Louisa Holt Jennifer Orlick
John Kane/Bailiff Bill Brobeck
PRODUCTION
Playwright/Director Cindy Acker
Historic Researcher Sarah McArthur LeValley
Assistant to the Director Miesha Lampkins
Sound Design Steve Shlisky
SONG ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
“Total Praise” Performed live by the Unity In Marin Choir with Pianist, Melanie Dresbach
“How Was I to Know” (instrumental) written and performed by Suzanne Cimone (Shazam)
“Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” Performed by The O’Neill Brothers Group
“Hold On” (negro spiritual) Thanks to DEM for donating the use of their arrangement and performance of the song, Hold On.
PRODUCTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Continued thanks to Debra Warren for sharing her grandfather’s memoirs.
Thanks to Shining Stars Production Incorporated for Fiscal Sponsorship.
Material for the play (based on historical truth and drawn from)
Words That Made the Difference is excerpted from the five cases that were compiled into the landmark case, known as Brown vs. Board of Education. As the transcripts were voluminous, it was impossible to include everything. The play was created by pouring through the transcripts, looking at the sections that could be used without changing the words, and building them around the characters whose testimonies were most meaningful. A critical piece what was omitted was the Doll Case, which was a major basis for understanding how inferiority and discrimination can have lifelong effects on individuals. It was critical to pass Brown v Board – the uncertainty of the effect of what even the portrayal of that scene might do to a young actor, caused it to be left out.
The three judges represented the three person judges in the five cases. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren and Thurgood Marshall serve as bookends in the history of Brown – their words, as with the transcripts were unchanged. However, Carter’s closing arguments, compelling after the Doll Case testimony were used and juxtaposed against the landmark decision of Earl Warren. The material used is as follows:
Transcript of original trial of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, June 25, 1951
OLIVER BROWN, MRS. RICHARD LAWTON, MRS. SADIE EMMANUEL, ET AL APPELLANTS, vs. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA, SHAWNEE. CTY, KANSAS, ET AL IN UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS
Three judge panel
Denied: Although nine findings indicate that the law as it stood, was harmful to the education of Topeka’s Black children, Judge Huxman upholds the Topeka Board’s policy based on Plessy.
Appeal FROM THE US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS
APPEAL SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES dated Filed Nov 1951
Brown vs. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) (USSC+)
Argued December 9, 1952
Re-argued December, 1952
Transcript of Thurgood Marshall’s re-argument for the plaintiffs in Briggs v. Elliott
Reargued December 8, 1953
Thurgood Marshall’s argument for the plaintiffs of the collective cases of Brown v. Board of Education before the Supreme Court, December 1953
Decided May 17, 1954
Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren’s final opinion in the collective cases of Brown v Board of Education overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and ending segregation, May 17, 1954
———————-PAST PRODUCTIONS————————
“Words That Made the Difference” at the Montessori Foundation & International Montessori Council’s 26th Annual International Montessori Conference
St. Petersburg, Florida
November 4, 2022 at 2:45pm ET
Narrator 1 Rebecca Pingree
Narrator 2 Melzena Murphy
Court Recorder/Clerk Carrie Brobeck
The Judges
Chief Justice Earl Warren Gene Kahane
Judge Walter Huxman Jonathan Wolff
Judge Arthur Mellot Rob Leitch
Judge Delmas Hill Michael Anderson
NAACP Attorneys
Thurgood Marshall Amos White
Robert Carter Curtis Walker
John Scott Gary J Moore
Charles Bledsoe Jeffrey Moon
Jack Greenberg Paul Bisesi
Board of Education Defense Attorney
Lester Goodell William Mahone
Plaintiffs
Oliver Brown Tory Williams
Alma Jean Galloway Gloria Cunha
Lena Mae Carper To Be Cast
Katherine Carper Addison Carter
Silas Fleming Tory Williams
Witnesses
Darlene Watson Jennifer Orlick
Hugh Speer Russ Whismore
Wilbur Brookover Alan Coyne
Louisa Holt Jennifer Orlick
John Kane/Bailiff Bill Brobeck
PRODUCTION
Playwright/Director Cindy Acker
Historic Researcher Sarah McArthur LeValley
Assistant to the Director Liam Kirk
Sound Design Steve Shlisky
SONG ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
“How Was I to Know” (instrumental) written and performed by Suzanne Cimone (Shazam)
“Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” Performed by The O’Neill Brothers Group
“Hold On” (negro spiritual) Thanks to DEM for donating the use of their arrangement and performance of the song, Hold On.
PRODUCTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Continued thanks to Debra Warren for sharing her grandfather’s memoirs.
Thanks to Shining Stars Production Incorporated for Fiscal Sponsorship.
Material for the play (based on historical truth and drawn from)
Words That Made the Difference is excerpted from the five cases that were compiled into the landmark case, known as Brown vs. Board of Education. As the transcripts were voluminous, it was impossible to include everything. The play was created by pouring through the transcripts, looking at the sections that could be used without changing the words, and building them around the characters whose testimonies were most meaningful. A critical piece what was omitted was the Doll Case, which was a major basis for understanding how inferiority and discrimination can have lifelong effects on individuals. It was critical to pass Brown v Board – the uncertainty of the effect of what even the portrayal of that scene might do to a young actor, caused it to be left out.
The three judges represented the three person judges in the five cases. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren and Thurgood Marshall serve as bookends in the history of Brown – their words, as with the transcripts were unchanged. However, Carter’s closing arguments, compelling after the Doll Case testimony were used and juxtaposed against the landmark decision of Earl Warren. The material used is as follows:
Transcript of original trial of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, June 25, 1951
OLIVER BROWN, MRS. RICHARD LAWTON, MRS. SADIE EMMANUEL, ET AL APPELLANTS, vs. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA, SHAWNEE. CTY, KANSAS, ET AL IN UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS
Three judge panel
Denied: Although nine findings indicate that the law as it stood, was harmful to the education of Topeka’s Black children, Judge Huxman upholds the Topeka Board’s policy based on Plessy.
Appeal FROM THE US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS
APPEAL SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES dated Filed Nov 1951
Brown vs. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) (USSC+)
Argued December 9, 1952
Re-argued December, 1952
Transcript of Thurgood Marshall’s re-argument for the plaintiffs in Briggs v. Elliott
Reargued December 8, 1953
Thurgood Marshall’s argument for the plaintiffs of the collective cases of Brown v. Board of Education before the Supreme Court, December 1953
Decided May 17, 1954
Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren’s final opinion in the collective cases of Brown v Board of Education overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and ending segregation, May 17, 1954
———————-PAST PRODUCTION————————
“Words That Made the Difference” at Altarena Playhouse, Alameda, CA
July 9, 2022 at 8:00pm and July 10, 2022 at 2:00pm
CAST
Narrator 1 Rebecca Pingree
Narrator 2 Melzena Murphy
Court Reporter Carrie Brobeck
The Judges
Chief Justice Earl Warren Gene Kahane
Judge Walter Huxman Allan Kreuger
Judge Arthur Mellot John Knox-White
Judge Delmas Hill Jim Oddie
NAACP Attorneys
Thurgood Marshall Amos White
Robert Carter Dedrick Weathersby
John Scott Gary J Moore
Charles Bledsoe Jeffrey Moon
Jack Greenberg Paul Bisesi
Board of Education Defense Attorney
Lester Goodell Brian Brown
Plaintiffs
Oliver Brown Tory Williams
Alma Jean Galloway Gloria Cunha
Lena Mae Carper Bonni Maxwell
Katherine Carper Adora Bailey
Silas Fleming Tory Williams
Witnesses
Darlene Watson Jennifer Orlick
Hugh Speer Russ Whismore
Wilbur Brookover Alan Coyne
Louisa Holt Jennifer Orlick
John Kane/Bailiff Bill Brobeck
PRODUCTION
Playwright/Director Cindy Acker
Words Research Assistant Sarah McArthur LeValley
Assistant to Director Nyah Edington
SONG ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
“How Was I to Know” (instrumental) written and performed by Suzanne Cimone (Shazam)
“Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory”
Thanks to DEM for donating the use of their arrangement and performance of the song, Hold On.
PRODUCTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Continued thanks to Debra Warren for sharing her grandfather’s memoirs.
Special thanks to Abbot Chambers, Bryan Vitale for their support, and to the cities of Sausalito and Marin City for their commitment to speak truth to cultural history via the arts.
“Words That Made the Difference” at Dunphy Park, Sausalito, June 12, 2022
CAST
Narrator 1 Rebecca Pingree
Narrator 2 Elizabeth Jones
Court Reporter Bill Cosden
The Judges
Chief Justice Earl Warren Gene Kahane
Judge Walter Huxman Kevin Berndt
Judge Arthur Mellot Tom Theodores
Judge Delmas Hill Ray Withy
NAACP Attorneys
Thurgood Marshall Amos White
Robert Carter Dedrick Weathersby
John Scott Gary J Moore
Charles Bledsoe Jeffrey Moon
Jack Greenberg Paul Bisesi
Board of Education Defense Attorney
Lester Goodell Brian Brown
Plaintiffs
Oliver Brown Tory Williams
Alma Jean Galloway Gloria Cunha
Lena Mae Carper Bonni Maxwell
Katherine Carper Adora Bailey
Silas Fleming Tory Williams
Witnesses
Darlene Watson Jennifer Orlick
Hugh Speer Russ Whismore
Wilbur Brookover Alan Coyne
Louisa Holt Jennifer Orlick
John Kane Bill Brobeck
PRODUCTION
Playwright/Director Cindy Acker
Words Research Assistant Sarah McArthur LeValley
Assistant to Director Nyah Edington
SONG ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
“How Was I to Know” (instrumental) written and performed by Suzanne Cimone (Shazam)
“Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory”
Thanks to DEM for donating the use of their arrangement and performance of the song, Hold On.
PRODUCTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Continued thanks to Debra Warren for sharing her grandfather’s memoirs.
Special thanks to Abbot Chambers, Bryan Vitale for their support, and to the cities of Sausalito and Marin City for their commitment to speak truth to cultural history via the arts.
Material for the play (based on historical truth and drawn from)
Words That Made the Difference is excerpted from the five cases that were compiled into the landmark case, known as Brown vs. Board of Education. As the transcripts were voluminous, it was impossible to include everything. The play was created by pouring through the transcripts, looking at the sections that could be used without changing the words, and building them around the characters whose testimonies were most meaningful. A critical piece what was omitted was the Doll Case, which was a major basis for understanding how inferiority and discrimination can have lifelong effects on individuals. It was critical to pass Brown v Board – the uncertainty of the effect of what even the portrayal of that scene might do to a young actor, caused it to be left out.
The three judges represented the three person judges in the five cases. Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren and Thurgood Marshall serve as bookends in the history of Brown – their words, as with the transcripts were unchanged. However, Carter’s closing arguments, compelling after the Doll Case testimony were used and juxtaposed against the landmark decision of Earl Warren. The material used is as follows:
Transcript of original trial of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, June 25, 1951
OLIVER BROWN, MRS. RICHARD LAWTON, MRS. SADIE EMMANUEL, ET AL APPELLANTS, vs. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA, SHAWNEE. CTY, KANSAS, ET AL IN UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS
Three judge panel.
Denied: Although nine findings indicate that the law as it stood, was harmful to the education of Topeka’s Black children, Judge Huxman upholds the Topeka Board’s policy based on Plessy.
Appeal FROM THE US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS
APPEAL SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES dated Filed Nov 1951
Brown vs. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) (USSC+)
Argued December 9, 1952
Re-argued December, 1952
Transcript of Thurgood Marshall’s re-argument for the plaintiffs in Briggs v. Elliott
Reargued December 8, 1953
Thurgood Marshall’s argument for the plaintiffs of the collective cases of Brown v. Board of Education before the Supreme Court, December 1953
Decided May 17, 1954
Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren’s final opinion in the collective cases of Brown v Board of Education overturning Plessy v. Ferguson and ending segregation, May 17, 1954
This play is dedicated to the memory of my parents, Darline Stella Bell Maxwell, and Washington Maxwell, who were born in 1930 in Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas, respectively, and for whom ‘Brown’ was a victory, because it set a precedent for other civil rights. Thank you, for holding the world for me – as one without limits.
The play is dedicated to those allies for equity, equality and fairness – the witnesses and plaintiffs, who courageously faced opposition from others, and the Supreme Court Justices, who provided a model of leading with integrity and justice for all.
-Dr Cindy Acker, Ed.D.
Support Us To Bring This Play To Florida and Kansas
The Montessori Foundation is sponsoring Words That Make The Difference in Florida on the anniversary of the election of the first Black president and the first Black congresswoman. Support us via monetary donation to the Montessori Foundation for the Social Justice Fund, or let us know that you can provide frequent flyer miles to send our cast and crew.
Rhythmix Production Cast February 26, 2022
Words That Made the Difference: Brown vs the Board of Education
Cast
Soloist Terrance Smith
Narrator 1 Brionna Acker Robinson
Narrator 2 Emily Newsome
Court Recorder/Clerk Carrie Brobeck
The Judges
Chief Justice Earl Warren Gene Kahane
Judge Walter Huxman Kevin Berndt
Judge Arthur Mellot Robert Paine
Judge Delmas Hill (coming soon)
NAACP Attorneys
Thurgood Marshall Amos White
Robert Carter Dedrick Weathersby
John Scott Gary J Moore
Charles Bledsoe Jeffrey Moon
Jack Greenberg Paul Bisesi
Board of Education Attorney
Lester Goodell Brian Brown
Plaintiffs
Oliver Brown Tory Williams
Alma Jean Galloway Brionna Robinson
Lena Mae Carper Bonnie Maxwell
Katherine Carper Adora Bailey
Silas Fleming Tory Williams
Witnesses
Darlene Watson Jennifer Orlick
Hugh Speer Russ Whismore
Wilbur Brookover Alan Coyne
Louisa Holt Jennifer Orlick
John Kane/Bailiff Bill Brobeck
PRODUCTION
Playwright/Director Cindy Acker
Historic Researcher Sarah McArthur LeValley
Sound Design Steve Shlisky
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Words That Made the Difference: BROWN vs the BOARD OF EDUCATION 