Sarasota's Florida Studio Theater stages fact-based civil rights drama

It's a story about racism and rabbits.

"Alabama Story," which is next up at Sarasota's Florida Studio Theatre, is a new play by Kenneth Jones that revolves around a real-life 1959 controversy. There was a children's book called "The Rabbits' Wedding" that showed a black rabbit marrying a white rabbit. The book's illustrator, Garth Williams, had no political agenda, but colored the rabbits black and white for visual contrast. (Williams was also the illustrator of "Charlotte's Web," "Little House on the Prairie and "Stuart Little.")

Still, a segregationist state senator from Montgomery, Ala., was outraged by the book about the bunnies, and demanded that it be purged from the shelves of the local libraries.

Jones' play uses that true story as backdrop for a story that has childhood friends turning against each other and a feisty librarian fighting a bigoted politician over censorship and racism.

The FST production of "Alabama Story" will be its regional premiere. The play premiered in January of last year in Utah.

The play drew raves from area critics, was featured prominently in "American Theatre" magazine and revived interest in Williams' book.

Although the play is rooted in historical events, it's a fictional account, with an invented human story of friendship and forgiveness running parallel with the true story about the controversy.

Details: April 6-May 28, Gompertz Theatre at Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota. Show times: 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 and 7 p,m. Sunday. Tickets: $36-$39. Information: 941-366-9000, floridastudiotheatre.org.

-- Marty Clear

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Sarasota's Florida Studio Theater stages fact-based civil rights drama ."