IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE

While the lynching of Emmett Till is well known as the spark that fueled the civil rights movement, what is less known is the story of the trial that sought to bring his murderers, J.W. Milan and Roy Bryant, to justice.

Till’s murder took place in 1955 but it wasn’t until 50 years later, when a transcript of the trial—unearthed by a graduate student working on a paper about the lynching—that the full story of Emmett Till and the injustice that occurred in his murder’s aftermath could be told. That story, in film form, is coming to Wayfarer Theaters in Highland Park on February 22.

The Trial of Emmet Till film was conceived and produced by Collaboraction Theatre, a Chicago-based group that has championed works that generate dialogue on important social issues since 1996. Its productions are presented in venues throughout the Chicago area.

An original live staging of Trial in the Delta, the film’s dialogue is drawn directly from the transcript of The State of Mississippi vs. Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam. Collaboraction obtained a copy of the transcript and two of the company’s writers, G. Riley Mills and Wille Round, adapted it for the stage.

The immersive theater experience, including audience response to the historic injustice documented on stage, was professionally filmed in 4K during a live performance last February at The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center.

“Adapting the once-missing trial transcript has given us the honor and responsibility to share it broadly and as often as possible, whether that be through live performance, online streaming, or this new film version of the staged adaptation,” said Collaboraction Artistic Director Anthony Moseley. “We are excited to be premiering this version and holding a live Crucial Conversation at Wayfarer Theaters, a unique film house aligned with our mission of positive social change.”

Moseley first acted in a Collaboraction Theatre production in 1996, and in 1999 became its Artistic Director. He says over the years the company developed its social justice mission as challenges in the city, especially related to issues around inequity and injustice, became deeper and more entrenched. Its productions are designed not just to stage plays, but to spark important conversations about the topics they center on.

“We looked around and started to understand that there was more we could do as a theater company to make at least a small contribution to help bring people together,” Moseley says. “This also coincided with my own understanding of the privilege I had and the responsibility to make an account for it.”

It was local award-winning NBC news anchor Marion Brooks, who was working on broadcast project about Emmett Till at the time, who first reached out to Moseley about the possibility of a play.

The production originated as a teleplay that Moseley and Collaboraction company member Dana Anderson co-directed and was filmed live in one day in February 2022 at NBC Chicago’s studio. The resulting NBC5/Collaboraction filmed co-production subsequently won two Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards and a Silver Gavel Award (Honorable Mention) from the American Bar Association.

Soon after the original production aired, Trial in the Delta was re-staged and presented live on a minimal set, two shows only, in February 2022 at DuSable Museum. The production was expanded and more fully remounted at DuSable in February 2023, where it enjoyed a two-week run and formed the basis for the film.

Moseley says the partnership with Wayfarer Theaters in Highland Park to host the debut is an ideal pairing. Wayfarer, owned by businessman and philanthropist Steve Sarowitz, has a mission to strengthen the Highland Park community through showing films, holding community events, and promoting dialogue about important issues that affect all residents of Highland Park and the surrounding area.

“It’s a natural fit because we have very similar missions, which is to bring people together,” says Moseley, who spent his summers in Highland Park. “It’s the perfect space for us to debut this film.”

Wayfarer Theaters General Manager Clay Stamper says he’s excited to bring the film to Highland Park and to host the event.

“Having the opportunity to share this brilliant piece with the North Shore community and engage in a meaningful conversation is crucial in our mission to unite and inspire positive change through storytelling and dialogue,” he adds.

Trial in the Delta: The Murder of Emmett Till, will be shown at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 22 at Wayfarer Theaters, 1850 Second Street, in Highland Park. Tickets are $20. For tickets and information, visit wayfarertheaters.com or call 872-873-1030.