Methuen Drama Student Editions are expertly annotated texts of a wide range of plays from the modern and classic repertoires. As well as the complete text of the play itself, each volume contains: a chronology of the playwright's life and work, an introductory discussion of the social, political, cultural and economic context in which the play was originally conceived and created, a succinct overview of the creation processes followed and subsequent performance history of the piece, an analysis of, and commentary on, some of the major themes and specific issues addressed by the text, a bibliography of suggested primary and secondary materials for further study The night before his assassination, Martin Luther King, Jr. retires to room 306 in the now-famous Lorraine Motel after giving an acclaimed speech to a huge church congregation. When a mysterious young maid visits him to deliver a cup of coffee, King is forced to confront his past and the future of his people. Portraying rhetoric, hope and ideals of social change, The Mountaintop also explores being human in the face of inevitable death. The play is a dramatic feat of daring originality, historical narration and triumphant compassion. It had its world premiere at Theatre 503, London, on 9 June 2009, before playing in the West End and Broadway. The play is published here as a Methuen Drama Student Edition, featuring notes and commentary by Harvey Young, Dean of the College of Fine Arts, Boston University, USA.