Tinker Case Made Into Original Musical
The landmark ACLU of Iowa case of Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District has been made into a musical, called "Thursday's Children," by Unexpected Company, a Des Moines theatre group.
The original musical is inspired by the events of the 1965 black arm band protest against the Vietnam War and the resulting lawsuit filed by 15-year-old John Tinker, 16-year-old Christopher Eckhardt, and 13-year-old Mary Beth Tinker.
Presented in partnership with the State Historical Society of Iowa, the musical tells the story of young people forced to confront their values, principles, and fears to make the choice of whether to protest the war-a choice that will affect them the rest of their lives.
Public performance events include pre-performance discussion panels with humanities scholars and Mary Beth Tinker, as well as post-performance discussion panels with legal scholars and a 1960s Dance Party at Gateway Dance Theatre.
The more than 2,000 students who will attend the school-day programs will also participate in mock trials recreating the Tinker case, facilitated by local judges and lawyers.
Held at the Iowa State Historical Museum's theatre, the performances will run afternoons and evenings Sunday, October 23 through November 7. For specifics on tickets and show times, go to www.thursdays-children.com or call the State Historical Society at 515-281-4132 or Unexpected Company at 515-288-9163.