Oberlin Celebrates MLK Holiday with Acclaimed Solo Show 'Incognito'

OBERLIN, OH—The college and community will honor the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday with the acclaimed solo performance of Incognito by playwright/actor Michael Fosberg.

On Sunday, January 19, Fosberg will tell his powerful story about searching for his biological father and discovering, for the first time in his 30s, that he is African American. His performance will be 5 p.m. in Finney Chapel, followed by the Mount Zion Baptist Church men’s choir. The event is free and open to the public.

Incognito is the story of Fosberg’s discovery of his roots, his family, and the difficult history behind the tragic American complexity of race. His story unfolds in 1992, following the divorce of his mother and adoptive stepfather, when he searches for his biological father. During his first phone conversation, his father reveals that he is black—a fact that had been hidden from him all his life. His journey leads him to meet his grandparents and his extended African American family.

Fosberg grew up in a middle class family near Chicago. He began acting in high school, then went on to study acting, writing, and directing at the University of Minnesota. He returned to Chicago early in his career, where he appeared in shows at the Steppenwolf, Remains, Wisdom Bridge, and Goodman theaters, working with such directors as John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, and Robert Falls, as well as cofounding the Huron Theater Ensemble. He has also appeared in film and television roles.

Since 2001, Fosberg has been has been working to create a national dialogue on race and identity with the launch of Incognito. He has been touring the show at playhouses, theater festivals, and colleges and universities across the country. In 2011, he published a memoir, Incognito: An American Odyssey of Race and Self Discovery. He also conducts workshops on race, diversity, identity, and theater-related topics.