The inspirational story of Martin Luther King Jr. comes to life on the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center Mainstage at 7 p.m. Feb. 2.

“‘I Have a Dream’ — The Life and Times of Martin Luther King Jr.” chronicles the impact of King’s life as he becomes one of the most influential and charismatic leaders of the American century. The performance gives an almost insider’s view of Martin Luther King Jr. as a young man through to his assasination.

King was inspired in December 1955 by Rosa Parks, who disobeyed a bus driver’s order to give up her seat to make room for a white passenger. Arrested for her defiance because of her race, King became the prime mover behind the Montgomery, Ala., year-long bus boycott.

Putting his philosophy of nonviolent protest to work, he gained national recognition and became the dominant force in the civil rights movement.

The play’s reenactment of King’s speech, “I Have a Dream,” in front of 250,000 during his march on Washington, D.C., in 1963 reminds us of his mission to lift “our nation to the solid rock of brotherhood.”

This performance, written by Bruce Craig Miller, is aimed at preserving the factual detail while entertaining students and adults.

Tickets for the performance at the Mendel Center Mainstage, 2755 East Napier Ave., Benton Harbor, are available by calling (269) 927-1221 or visiting www.lmcmainstage.org. Tickets range from $11 to $16.

Students (kindergarten through college) and seniors (60 and older) receive 10 percent off single-ticket prices.  Groups of 20 or more receive a 15 percent savings on ticket prices.  Call (269) 927-8109.