Issues such as race, immigration and one man’s family history were explored in “Amnesia,” a play performed on April 13 in the University Union.

Ariel Luckey wrote and performed “Amnesia” after researching and discovering the history of many of his family members. The play is based on Luckey’s experiences and stories he received from interviewing several elder relatives.

He began with a monologue about a dehydrated young man traveling across the desert. Then, his voice changed to a more casual tone and he introduced himself to the audience.

“I am Ariel Luckey and I am from Oakland, California,” Luckey said.

During these words, a hip-hop beat began pulsating from the four-person band that was seated on the right side of the stage. The band performed beats and complimentary sounds throughout the play.

Luckey’s journey started after a moment at his cousin’s wedding when he realized he does not know his own family’s history.

“Everything looks so good on the surface,” Luckey said. “Where did my family come from? I really don’t know.”

This realization inspired him to decide to discover his origins and research his family tree for the answers to all his newfound questions.

“I peer into the past but all I can see is a white mist,” Luckey said. “The only way to go forward is to go back. Maybe I will find what I seek.”

Luckey combined serious dialogue with humorous slang in a way that pulled in the audience and kept them interested and paying attention.

“I gotta find that village, yo,” Luckey said.

However, his journey was not easy and he found some life-changing information about his family history.

“I always felt like the holocaust wasn’t my story,” Luckey said. “It was this thing that happened to other people.”

Through his research, he found a list online of people murdered in the Holocaust. He discovered the names of 38 of his family members were on it, including 24 children.

“This is my family,” Luckey said while slowly accepting the fact that he lost many members of his family to the Holocaust.

He offered a spoken prayer to those lost, even stopping for a moment of silence, welcoming the audience to voice the names of anyone they may have lost.

“You are not forgotten,” Luckey said. “Your death will not be worthless.”

Dana Kivel, community engagement center director, introduced the performance and also assisted in the Q & A after the show. She thought the musical elements of the play were successful.

“The music really seems to capture the story,” Kivel said.

Lila Sklar played the violin, sang and was responsible for creating and contributing to the musical side of the play.

“It was very collaborative; I would just try to read [the story] and get into his head as much as I could,” Sklar said. “I feel honored to have been a part of it.”

Diego Campos, a Sacramento State 2013 alumnus, enjoyed the performance and felt the background behind the story made it more impactful.

“The fact that it was an autobiography, it was really inspiring,” Campos said. “It’s important to support the arts.”

Long Lim, IRT staff member, came to the show because of the controversial issues the play addressed.

“I saw the flier and it really resonated with me in terms of [the topics of] race and immigration,” Lim said. “I thought it was really insightful and profound.”

Alex Griffith, psychology and dance double major, agreed with the majority about the quality of the play.

“I thought it was really awesome,” Griffith said. “I was completely blown away.”

She also thinks the performance incorporated several elements that increased the impact of the story.

“It was just a culmination of everything, lighting and sound,” Griffith said.

Griffith agreed with Campos that because the story was based on Luckey’s personal experiences, the performance held more meaning.

The play wrapped up with a strong, rhythmic beat that preceded Luckey’s final words.

“I am a fourth-generation Jewish-American; I am a poet remembering where I came from,” Luckey said. “I will not suffer from amnesia.”