Penumbra Theatre has announced its 39th season, a roster marked by socially engaged plays. The dramas, under the theme of love and revolution, are surrounded by programming that amplify ideas in the main stage offerings.

"I'm excited that Penumbra can host these critical conversations at a moment of pain and promise in our nation's history," said Sarah Bellamy, co-artistic director. "As a theater, Penumbra is getting closer to the full activation of our mission, which is to leverage the power of art to foster social justice and equity."

The 2015-2016 main stage season kicks off Oct. 1-11 with celebrated monologuist Roger Guenveur Smith's "Rodney King." The solo show, the only entrant in the third annual Claude Edison Purdy festival of individual artists, is about the public and private pain of the man whose 1992 beating by police in Los Angeles kicked off riots that resulted in more than $1 billion in damages. Smith's incantatory work has been praised as "a prayer" (Washington Post).

Penumbra also will revive Langston Hughes' "Black Nativity," its annual holiday tradition that will be staged again by theater founder Lou Bellamy (Dec. 3-20).

The theater will pair "The Dutchman," Amiri Baraka's famous train-set play that involves a curious black man and a predatory white woman, with Adrienne Kennedy's rarely produced one-act, "The Owl Answers." Kennedy's 1965 play is about a black girl who wants to bury her father in the Westminster Cathedral but is hooted down by a chorus that includes historical personages such as Shakespeare and William the Conqueror. Lou Bellamy directs "Dutchman" while Talvin Wilks stages "The Owl Answers" (March 3-27).

The main stage season closes with "Sunset Baby," Dominique Morisseau's vibrant drama about a revolutionary's reunion with his estranged daughter. Lou Bellamy directs (April 14-May 8).

Penumbra's panel discussions, films and art exhibits amplify themes and ideas of the onstage works.

The "On the Front Lines" panel features 2013 Bush fellow Dave Ellis, artist and organizer Signe Harriday, Metro Transit Police Chief John Harrington and Prof. Nekima Levy-Pounds (Sept. 14).

Artist and activist Emory Douglas, former minister of culture of the Black Panther Party, will speak about his exhibited artwork for "Visual Revolution" (Dec. 14).

Former Macalester Prof. Mahmoud El-Kati joins University of Minnesota Prof. Keith Mayes to discuss "Malcolm X — The Man and His Legacy" (Feb. 15) while Bobby Seale, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, joins political activist and former Panther Ericka Huggins to discuss "The Black Panthers" (April 18). Season tickets go on sale Friday. Call 651-224-3180 or go to penumbratheatre.org.

Rohan Preston • 612-673-4390