"The Parchman Hour" by Mike Wiley

Mike Wiley Productions’ newest work, The Parchman Hour commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders. Utilizing the race rhetoric and the soulful sounds of the 1960's, an ensemble of young voices will breath new life into what was perhaps the most tense three months of the American Civil Rights Movement.

Conceived and written by acclaimed actor and playwright Mike Wiley with author Timothy B. Tyson (Blood Done Sign My Name), The Parchman Hour is a compelling oral history originally produced by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke Univeristy and the LAB! at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The national touring production features an ensemble of actors who bring to life the songs and stories of the Freedom Riders, in a unique staging reminiscent of the live radio programs of yesteryear.