It began with arching swings. The baton connected again and again with the prone body on the pavement. People screamed and rioted in the streets. Fists flew as cars and buildings burned and a nation watched with rapt fascination at the chaos and injustice that was occurring in 1990s America.

The series of riots started in April 1992 after four Los Angeles police officers were acquitted with the assaulting of African American motorist Rodney King.

To commemorate and understand the issues that led to and spurred on the 1992 LA riots, Grand Valley State University’s theater program will perform Anna Deavere Smith’s 1994 play “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992.”

Referred to as documentary theater, GVSU’s production of the Tony-nominated play will focus on the identities of 36 famous, infamous and anonymous individuals linked to the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict – some were participants within the riots, while many were mere witnesses.

Michael Mueller, a visiting assistant theater professor at GVSU and the director of “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992,” indicated that the 12 student actors within the production will take on multiple roles.

“Each one of the actors are at least playing three different characters, and one of those characters are probably really close to them, by that I mean same gender or ethnicity,” he said. “Then there might be another character that is similar, but there is a gender swap or ethnicity switch that they have a handle on.”

Mueller also said the actors are also playing a character that is completely foreign to them – like having an African American woman playing a Korean American man. Unconventional, he admits, but the story then moves beyond stereotyping individuals actions and instead focuses on their portrayal rather than race.

Commenting on how modern audiences are somewhat desensitized to violent acts within the media, Mueller stressed that letting the GVSU community experience hate and injustice through a live theatrical performance would then create the conversation needed to promote discussion and social change.

“We live in a digital age, separated (from) reality by a phone screen, a television monitor or movie projection screen,” Mueller said. “Theater helps to open it up a bit, provides a bit more three-dimensional approach and perspective. In addition, this show is set differently as all the audience will be onstage and the actors will be coming right out from it.”

Projections will also be displayed throughout the show to provide context and perspective for individuals who were not alive when the LA riots occurred. While the images are considered disturbing, something that an individual would not actively seek out, Mueller said, it does have voices of students being able to respond and question violence they just witnessed.

“Despite being written 22 years ago, the story still deals with issues that remain prevalent in today’s society,” said Alaina Wilson, a senior theater major at GVSU. “Rodney King was beaten by police in 1991 and that conflict continues today with cases like that of Sandra Bland – this play shines a light on issues people try to push under the rug, sharing real documents in history from multiple first-person accounts, which is something other forms of media can’t do.”

“Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” is playing at the Louis Armstrong Theatre on Nov. 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. and on Nov. 15 and 22 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are all general admission seating, with $1 extra at the door, and are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors, faculty, alumni and staff. Student and group tickets are $6.