By Yuanyuan Ji
The Scene staff
The Forest Park theater department will present “Discipline 27 II,” a play about the influential jazz piano and synthesizer player Sun Ra.
“It sings for his life, his philosophy and his music, said director Mary Hurley, a mass communications professor. “And there will be live musicians.”
A cast of nearly 20 students and community members will perform the play April 16-19 in the Mildred E. Bastian Theater for the Performing Arts on campus.
Ra was an Alabama native who lived from 1914 to 1993. Beyond music, he was known for his “cosmic philosophy.” He claimed to be an alien from Saturn.
“Since I do not consider myself as one of the humans, I am a spiritual being myself,” he said in the 1980 documentary “A Joyful Noise.” “Every song I write tells a story, a story humanity needs to know about.”
Human services student Fredick Ivy, 45, plays the lead role in “Discipline 27 II.”
“Sun Ra is one character I identified with because I do public speaking,” he said. “I have written books that fit Sun Ra’s philosophy, and my lectures are spoken over music.
“I speak about race relations, world religions and Bible codes that explain African American experience, which should help in repairing the misplaced anger of African Americans and social ills of the world.”
The college supplemented the student cast by advertising with the St. Louis American newspaper and website for actors and musicians.
“I play the judge in the play,” said Michael McCormick, 58, who has been acting since 1975. “He is trying to put Sun Ra on trial. He is prejudiced and does not like African Americans.”
McCormick played Friar Tuck in the Six Flags-produced “Robin Hood” show in the 1990s. Today, he works as an announcer, actor and singer with STL-TV.
Ra was a pioneer of “Afrofuturism,” a set of literary and cultural principles that combine science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, Afrocentricity and magic realism.
His music had a significant influence on other artists, including George Clinton.
“(Ra was) one of the first people to play electronic keyboards like the synthesizer,” Hurley said.
In the mid-1950s, Ra led The Arkestra, a band that still performs. They celebrated his 100th birthday last year by touring North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. The current leader, Marshall Allen, is 90.
Forest Park telecommunications graduate Carolyn Moore, 46, plays June Tyson in “Disciple 27 II.” Tyson was a singer in The Arkestra from the 1960s until her death in 1992.
“I love (the role), and I love Sun Ra,” Moore said. “He connects nature and people through music.”
The play will be performed at 11 a.m. April 16, 8 p.m. April 17-18 and 3 p.m. April 19. Admission is free.
“It is funny, exciting and interesting,” Hurley said. “It deals with African American culture and would be interesting to Forest Park students.”