Henrietta Lacks Play that Debuted at Valley's Museum Now in Schools

A play about Henrietta Lacks that debuted last fall at our Kalamazoo Valley Museum is now in schools!

More than 600 students at Kalamazoo's Loy Norrix High School were treated to "HeLa" last week. They learned that cells taken from Lacks' body without her knowledge were used in experiments worldwide that led to cancer treatments, the polio and COVID vaccines, and more.

Kalamazoo Valley alum Buddy Hannah wrote and directed the play.

"I was honored for the school to share the play with students during Black History Month," he said. "It is important for both Black and white students to know as much Black history as possible."

Hannah said schedules permitted just about all of the cast members from the original show to participate in the hour-long, daytime performance on Wednesday, Feb. 8.

He added that he is in talks to also bring the production to schools in Benton Harbor and Battle Creek.

The bookings are a direct result of people having either seen or heard about his play's staging at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, he said, or visited the associated exhibit about Henrietta Lacks on display at the museum.

The last day to see the "HeLa Story: Mother of Modern Medicine" mini-exhibit is March 5 at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum in downtown Kalamazoo.