“Already acclaimed as ‘an American masterpiece’ (Newsweek), Twilight is Anna Deavere Smith’s stunning new work of “documentary theater” in which she uses verbatim words of people who experienced the Los Angeles riots to expose and explore the devastating human impact of that event. From nine months of interviews with more than two hundred people, Smith has chosen the voices that best reflect the diversity and tension of a city in turmoil: a disabled Korean man, a white male Hollywood talent agent, a Panamanian immigrant mother, a teenage black gang member, a macho Mexican-American artist, Rodney King’s aunt, beaten truck driver Reginald Denny, former Los Angeles police chief Daryl Gates, and other witnesses, participants, and victims.
A work that goes directly to the heart of issues of race and class, Twilight ruthlessly probes the language and the lives of its subjects, offering start insights into the complex and pressing social, economic, and political issues that fueled the flames in the wake of the Rodney King verdict.
Combining Smith’s introduction exploring Twilight’s evolution from the streets to the stage, the complete play script, and photos of the author in character, Twilight is a captivating work of dramatic literature—and a unique first-person portrait of a pivotal moment in current history.” (flop copy)
Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is a one-woman show written and originally performed by Anna Deavere Smith. It originally opened at the Cout Theatre in New York City on April 17, 1994. It ran for 72 performances. The play was nominated for the 1994 Tony Award for Best Play and won the Drama Desk Awards from outstanding One-Person Show.
- Title: Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992: On the Road: A Search for American Character
- Author: Anna Deavere Smith
- Publisher: Anchor Books
- Place: New York
- Year: 1994
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Book design by Gretchen Achilles
- Length: 265pp
- Dimensions: 5.75” x 8.5”
- Condition: The dustjacket is in practically pristine condition, hardly any wear. The boards are in equally good condition with gilt particulars on the spine. The binding is tight, and the pages are clean and crisp--no folds, tears, or extraneous marks.