Synopsis
Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 by Anna Deavere Smith is a groundbreaking work of documentary theater that explores the devastating 1992 Los Angeles riots following the acquittal of four white LAPD officers in the brutal beating of Black motorist Rodney King. Commissioned by the Mark Taper Forum, where it premiered in 1993, the play is a one-woman performance (originally performed by Smith herself, though later productions used ensemble casts) constructed from verbatim excerpts of over 300 interviews Smith conducted with a diverse array of individuals connected to the riots. Through a series of monologues, Smith embodies a wide range of voices—public figures, victims, witnesses, and participants—capturing the raw emotions, conflicting perspectives, and deep-seated tensions that fueled the unrest. The play, part of Smith’s ongoing project On the Road: A Search for American Character, is a poignant examination of race, class, justice, and systemic inequality in America, presented through the lens of a city in turmoil.
The play opens with a prologue featuring Rudy Salas, Sr., a Mexican American sculptor whose monologue sets the tone by articulating the pervasive racism and police brutality he experienced growing up in Los Angeles, establishing the “us versus them” mentality that permeates the work. The narrative does not follow a linear plot but unfolds through a mosaic of voices, each offering a unique perspective on the riots, which erupted after the April 29, 1992, verdict in the Rodney King trial. Smith portrays a diverse cast of characters, including public figures like LAPD Chief Daryl Gates and Congresswoman Maxine Waters, as well as lesser-known individuals such as a nameless juror from the trial, a Korean American store owner whose business was destroyed, and Reginald Denny, a white truck driver brutally beaten during the riots. Other voices include Twilight Bey, a Watts Gang Truce activist whose name inspired the play’s title, and cultural figures like singer Jessye Norman and actor Charlton Heston, each contributing to a kaleidoscopic view of the city’s racial and socioeconomic fault lines. By presenting these monologues verbatim, Smith preserves the authenticity of each speaker’s language, cadence, and emotion, creating a vivid tapestry of a community grappling with anger, despair, and hope.
Thematically, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 delves into the complexities of justice, systemic racism, and the struggle for healing in a fractured society. The play does not take sides but instead challenges audiences to confront the ambiguity and moral whiplash of competing narratives. For instance, a monologue by a Panamanian immigrant mother highlights personal loss, while a Hollywood agent’s perspective reveals the disconnect of the privileged. Scholars like Homi Bhabha and artist Betye Saar reflect on the concept of “twilight” as a metaphor for the uncertain, liminal state of Los Angeles post-riots, caught between destruction and the potential for renewal. The play also critiques the failure of institutional responses, as seen in Otis Chandler’s observation that the city did not learn from the 1965 Watts riots, and Elaine Brown’s skepticism about the possibility of meaningful resistance against systemic power. Through these voices, Smith exposes the deep-rooted issues of police brutality, economic disparity, and racial division that fueled the riots, which resulted in 53 deaths and over $1 billion in property damage.
Smith’s innovative approach to verbatim theater transforms the stage into a platform for raw, unfiltered human experiences, blending journalism, performance, and social commentary. By embodying each character’s vocal tics, gestures, and emotional nuances, she bridges divides of race, gender, and class, inviting audiences to empathize with perspectives they might otherwise dismiss. The play’s structure, with its poetic arrangement of interview transcripts, underscores the theatricality of real speech while preserving its authenticity. While the original production featured Smith alone, later revivals, such as the 2023 Mark Taper Forum production with a five-actor ensemble, expanded the voices to reflect a broader communal narrative. The play’s enduring relevance is evident in its references to later events, such as the George Floyd protests, highlighting the persistent issues of police violence and racial injustice. Ultimately, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is a powerful call to understand diverse perspectives, confront uncomfortable truths, and recognize the shared humanity in a city—and nation—divided.