“The Story,” a play written by Tracey Scott Wilson, opened this week at Florida A&M University (FAMU) and runs through Oct. 28 with performances on today at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and on Sunday at 3 p.m.
“The Story” is inspired by the Janet Cooke journalism scandal of 1981. Cooke was an African-American reporter for The Washington Post who won a Pulitzer Prize for an article she wrote in 1980 about an eight-year-old boy that fell victim to the heroin epidemic. The Pulitzer was taken away from Cooke once it came to light that her story was a complete fabrication.
The FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Communication (SJGC) will conduct a post-show discussion exploring the ethics and self-identity of journalists following the Saturday matinee performance. SJGC Professor Dhyana Ziegler will moderate the discussion.
"The talk-back session will explore ethical issues in journalism as well as diversity in the newsroom,” Ziegler said. “The panelists will be asked to react to the evolving ethical dilemmas that emerge in the production and discuss the realities of working in the newsroom today.”
Performances are free of charge for FAMU students with a valid Rattler ID, $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens and $8 for non-FAMU students and children.