Twilight: los angeles, 1992, paperback/anna deavere smith

Twilight is Anna Deavere Smiths stunning new work of documentary theater in which she uses the 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 Kings 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 the issues of race and class, Twilight ruthlessly probes the language and the lives of its subjects, offering stark insight into the complex and pressing social, economic, and political issues that fueled the flames in the wake of the Rodney King verdict.

Combining Smiths introduction exploring Twilights 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.