The opening night performance of Pearl Cleage’s play A Song for Coretta at the Lincoln Theatre on Friday, March 5 had some unexpected, but very pleasant surprises.

The play, inspired by the long line of mourners at Ebenezer Baptist Church paying their respects to Mrs. Coretta Scott King, introduces five fictional African American women, aged 17 to 57, who find laughter and hope while waiting in the rain to say good-bye.

The production, a collaboration between CAPA and Ohio State University’s Department of Theatre, attracted the attention of two Columbus relatives of the late Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Gregory Foster, a cousin of Mrs. King, who lives in Columbus, called the Department of Theatre and spoke with staff member Eric Mayer. Foster said he attends “anything and everything having to do with the King family.” He also told Mayer that when she was alive, Mrs. King always insisted that her family be present at whatever event she was speaking at and sit in the front row.

In addition to Mr. Foster and his immediate family, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s first cousin, Reverend Joel L. King, also lives in Columbus.

Both relatives and some of their family members attended the Friday performance. They went backstage to the green room to meet and congratulate the cast. “When the cast found out who these visitors were, their jaws simultaneously hit the floor,” Mayer said.

Another important visitor, President E. Gordon Gee, also came backstage to meet the cast.