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'One Night In Miami' Examines History In Moment In Time

DENVER (CBS4)- The new play by Kemp Powers, One Night in Miami, takes a real moment in time to look at how four men describe what it means to be black in America.

The play centers around the moments after Cassius Clay defeats Sonny Liston in 1964 while four men, Clay, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke and Malcolm X examine their lives, their challenges and the bigotry they face in their chosen fields.

"I thought I was pretty versed on black history, but I had no idea this story ever happened. The idea that Cassius Clay is best friends for the night with them, and they are Malcolm X, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke, it's almost as if the writer dreamed this up," said One Night in Miami Director Carl Cofield.

one night in miami
One Night in Miami (credit: CBS)

The play also digs into some uncomfortable themes.

"All of the events discussed in the play actually happened. The play picks up because we don't know what happened in the room. We don't know what the real discussions were but we do know the events that happened after that night. After that Cassius Clay joins the Nation of Islam and changes his name to Muhammad Ali. A year after this magical night, two of the four men are dead," said Cofield.

I hope the audience comes away with a different view of the people they think they know."

One Night in Miami is at the Space Theatre of the Denver Performing Arts Complex through April 19. For tickets and information call 303.893.4100 or the denvercenter.org.

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