and certain religious cults with similar political motives, continued to emerge in the United States. The Branch Davidians, under the leadership of David Koresh, endured a 51-day standoff with federal agents in Waco, Texas. On April 19, 1993, when federal law enforcement stormed the compound using tear gas, the cult members set it ablaze, resulting in the deaths of over 80 members, including around two dozen children. This incident further fueled ongoing anti-government sentiment in the country.

Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 lacks a traditional storyline to guide its structure. It resembles eye-witness reports seen in the media or responses during a talk-show interview. The "story" of the play is rooted in real events that unfolded in Los Angeles over two years. These events include the assault on Rodney King, the subsequent trial and its verdict, the community's violent reaction, the attack on Reginald Denny, the federal trial of Rodney King, and the trial and verdict of the "L.A. Four" accused of trying to murder Denny.

Colloquialism

The dialogue in Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is not crafted by the playwright. It comprises the actual words spoken by people she interviewed, showcasing different dialects and varying degrees of English proficiency. For many individuals, English is a second language, resulting in speeches with idiomatic and grammatical deviations. Smith's characters sound authentic because they are based on real people, and she, as the playwright-performer, captures the natural rhythms and nuances of their speech through literal transcription. In the case of Chung Lee, President of the Korean-American Victims Association, she even includes a character who speaks Korean, requiring translation by his son. Smith meticulously studied Lee's speech and presents his voice accurately in her performances.

Documentary

Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is often described as "documentary theater." The events depicted by the "characters" are factual, as are the individuals themselves. Smith's approach is journalistic but becomes theatrical through her live portrayals of the real people she interviewed. On paper, her work is a series of monologues derived from her interviews. Her own voice is absent, with only her questions subtly implied. On stage, Smith seeks objectivity, fully immersing herself in the roles of those she interviewed. Regarding the published text of Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, Smith states that her book "is first and foremost a document of what an actress heard in Los Angeles," and that her "performance is a reiteration of that."

Monologue

Nearly all the characters in Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 express themselves through monologues, isolated from the rest of the dramatis personae. There is a complete lack of dialogue, typically a key element in advancing a play's narrative. The monologues vary widely, both in nature and in the voices delivering them. Some are articulate, logical, and coherent, while others are emotionally charged and often disorganized. The monologues cover a broad range of themes, from self-justification to passionate critiques of perceived injustices.

Narrative

Drama, as a form of presentation, unfolds in the present moment and typically employs narrative for exposition and to convey actions that occur offstage. A common figure in traditional drama is the "messenger," who might, for instance, relay the result of a battle that cannot be shown on stage. In a similar vein, the characters in Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 act as messengers, referencing or describing events that have transpired in the real world of South-Central Los Angeles. They resemble media commentators and analysts rather than actors in a developing story. It is precisely for this reason that Smith's drama challenges conventional categorization.

Symbolism

Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 contains little to no symbolism in the traditional sense. Symbolism implies a deliberate artistic effort by the writer, but Smith, as a writer, functions more as a reporter and organizer. Her artistry shines through in the theatrical interpretation and performance of the voices she has objectively captured. However, the concept of "twilight" serves as a sort of emblem. It is not only the name of the central figure, Twilight Bey, but also a term others use to describe a condition, the limbo that Bey discusses. Twilight considers himself "stuck in limbo," a space between darkness and light. For him, light represents the "knowledge and wisdom of the world," while darkness, though not inherently negative, signifies a limited viewpoint, as he describes it, "just identifying with people like me and understanding me and mine." This twilight state aptly characterizes the situation of Los Angeles and its inhabitants.

Urban Realism

Focusing on the challenges of a major city, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is a work of urban realism. Similar to traditional narratives about life in ghettos and slums, it portrays the struggles of many inner-city residents who endure despair, anger, and frustration, facing issues like drive-by shootings, unemployment, drug dealing, police brutality, economic exploitation, and other difficulties. The work does not propose solutions; instead, it provides an almost clinical examination of these problems' impact on the lives of the people whose voices Smith brings to the stage.

Stream of Consciousness

Smith accurately captures what her interview subjects have expressed, omitting only her own voice. While the monologues are not true interior stream-of-consciousness narratives, some resemble that style through their free association of thoughts. They are filled with non-sequiturs, pauses, and verbal hesitations. This spontaneous, unrehearsed quality is essential to the documentary authenticity of the piece.

By the spring of 1997, from Smith's collection of plays titled On the Road, only Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities had been adapted for a media format. Following her achievements with Twilight and Fires, Smith has been featured on television and radio as a speaker, debate moderator, and interviewee. Additionally, she has taken on supporting roles in notable films, such as portraying Mrs. Travis in Dave (1993), produced by Warner Bros., and Anthea Burton in Philadelphia (1993), produced by Tri-Star.

Fires in the Mirror was directed by George C. Wolfe for PBS's American Playhouse and debuted on television in April 1993, showcasing Smith in a solo performance. The video is available through the Public Broadcasting System (PBS).

Further Reading

Brustein, Robert. "RC.—or Not P.C.," The New Republic, Vol. 210, No. 18, May 2, 1994, pp. 29-31.
This article reviews the Joseph Papp Public Theater's production of Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, suggesting that Smith is more a sociologist than an artist. Brustein categorizes her characters as "victims, victimizers, and viewers."

Corso, P.J. "Anna Deavere Smith," AFROAM-L Archives, October 24, 1994. http://www.afrmet.net/~hallh/afrotalk/afroo ct94/0546.html, February 16, 1997.
Corso compares Smith's approach and content to Bertolt Brecht's work but contends that the commercial success of her productions limits their potential as agents for social change.

Cortes, Monica Munoz. "The Works of Anna Deavere Smith: An Exploration of Otherness," 95 McNair Journal. http://www.aad.berkeley.edu/95journal/MonicaCortes.html, January 15, 1997.
This piece connects performance theory, drawing from Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan, to Smith's "theater of otherness."

Feingold, Michael. "Twilight's First Gleaming" in the Village Voice, Vol. 39, No. 14, April 5, 1994, pp. 97, 100.
A highly positive review of the New York production of Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, where Feingold commends Smith's "triple ability" as an interviewer, writer, and actress.

Feldman, Lauren. "A Constellation of Character," Perspective, http://hcs.harvard.edu/~perspy/may96/twilight.html.
This review examines Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, focusing on Smith's staging choices and how her views on race relations have influenced the work's development.

Fitzgerald, Sharon. "Anna of a Thousand Faces" in American Visions, Vol. 9, No. 5, October-November, 1994, pp. 14-18.
This article explores both Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 and Fires in the Mirror, highlighting Smith's onstage techniques and the motivations behind her writing.

Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. "The Chitlin Circuit" in the New Yorker, Vol. 72, No. 45, February 3, 1997, pp. 44-55.
Gates examines August Wilson's advocacy for a separate black theater while criticizing him for not being a "Chitlin Circuit" playwright.

Kanfer, Stefan. "Twilight Tragedies" in the New Leader, Vol. 77, No. 5, May 9, 1994, pp. 22-23.
This review criticizes Smith's play for having an "illiberal agenda masked by objectivity" and describes the material as "unwieldy."

Kroll, Jack. "Fire in the City of Angels" in Newsweek, Vol. 121, June 28, 1993, pp. 62-63.
A glowing review of the Mark Taper Forum's production of Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, praising Smith as "the most exciting individual in American theater right now."

Lewis, Barbara. "The Circle of Confusion: A Conversation with Anna Deavere Smith" in Kenyon Review, Vol. 54, No. 4, Winter, 1993, pp. 54-64.
Although this interview primarily focuses on Fires in the Mirror, it offers insights into Smith's artistic goals and the influence of Ntozake Shange and George Wolfe on her work.

"Lives Altered Forever" in Time, Vol. 141, June 28, 1993, p. 73.
A review of the Mark Taper Forum production of Smith's play, noting its extensive coverage but criticizing it for creating the impression that black individuals were almost solely responsible for the rioting and looting.

Martin, Carol. "Anna Deavere Smith: The Word Becomes You" in the Drama Review, Vol. 37, No. 4, Winter, 1993, pp. 45-62.
This interview with Smith centers on Fires in the Mirror, delving into her technique and purpose across her entire On the Road series.

Edited by Susan Vaneta Mason, the "Theatre Review" in Theatre Journal, Vol. 46, 1994, pp. 111-18, compiles a variety of reviews on the Mark Taper Forum's production of Smith's play, showcasing perspectives from performance artists, writers, and critics.

In "The Tangle over Twilight" published in the Los Angeles Times on June 12, 1994, pp. 7, 48, Sean Mitchell explores the debate regarding whether Smith's work should be classified as journalism or art.

Richard Schechner, in "Anna Deavere Smith: Acting as Incorporation" from the Drama Review, Vol. 37, no. 4, Winter 1993, pp. 63-64, discusses Smith's approach to creating and performing her work, likening it to a form of “shamanism.”

Anna Deavere Smith's speech, "Metaphor's Funeral," is available on the National Endowment for the Arts website. Delivered on January 15, 1997, before the National Council on the Arts, Smith expresses her wish for a "theatre that reclaims performance" and comments on the "collapse" of conversation.

In "Not So Special Vehicles" from Performing Arts Journal, Vol. 50/51, May-September 1995, pp. 77-92, Smith provides the printed text of a keynote address she delivered in 1993 at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education. This speech examines ethnocentric theater and warns against the "specialness" in the arts.

In "Authors in America: Tony Kushner, Arthur Miller, and Anna Deavere Smith" from Centennial Review, Vol. 40, no. 1, Winter 1996, pp. 125-42, Smith explores two models of theater authorship: the solitary author, exemplified by Miller, and the "theater collective," represented by Kushner and herself.

Jan Stuart's review "Twilight: Group Therapy for a Nation" in Newsday, March 24, 1994, praises the Joseph Papp Public Theater's production of Smith's play. Stuart commends Smith's talent in presenting viewers with "a breathtaking collage of real-life people who make us want to stand up and cheer, then sit back down and reflect."

William H. Sun and Faye C. Fei, in "Masks or Face Re-Visited: A Study of Four Theatrical Works Concerning Cultural Identity" from Drama Review, Vol. 38, no. 4, Winter 1994, pp. 120-32, link the concept of the mask to ethnic identity issues in plays and role interpretations. While focusing on the PBS/American Playhouse televised production of Fires in the Mirror (April 28, 1993), the article argues that Smith's work has "silenced" issues of "racial identity in race-specific plays."

Chris Vognar's article "Quite an Impression" on the Daily Californian website, http://www.dailycal.org/Issues/09.29.95/smith.txt, February 16, 1997, offers a brief tribute to Smith's work, highlighting her achievements as a performance-playwright and her ability to transcend "mere language and into the realm of the personality and the soul."

Gayle Wald's "Anna Deavere Smith's Voices at Twilight" in Postmodern Culture, Vol. 4, no. 2, January 1994, available at http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/pmc/issue.194/review-L194.html, January 22, 1997, provides an in-depth review of Twilight, Los Angeles, 1992 as performed at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey, offering a detailed description of Smith's unique performance style.