New Village Arts could have a mega-hit on its hands. Their Having Our Say is easily one of the year's very best thus far. Sadie and Bessie Delaney (Emily Mann based the play on actual African-American sisters) have invited us to celebrate their father's birthday. It's 1993. He passed away long ago. In fact, the sisters have outlived just about everyone else in the family. Sadie is 103, Bessie's 101. They participated in over a century of American history, and givedeeply felt personal accounts of life under Jim Crow laws, the Harlem Renaissance, and Civil Rights. Whilequiet Sadie avoids confrontations,"Queen" Bessie would rather die (and almost does) than cowtow to prejudice. Milena (Sellers) Phillips' Sadie and Sylvia M'Lafi Thompson's Bessie are outstanding. It's as if each plays a bucket list role. And their ritual-like, extensive preparations of a meal are amazing to behold. Christopher Scott Murillo must have imported hisintricately-detailed set from the Delaney's Mt. Vernon home. Alldesign elements jibe beautifully. And it's impossible to believe that Melissa Coleman-Reed made her directorial debut with this truly splendid show.
Admission/Cost:
Ongoing from Friday, May 12 until Sunday, June 11, 2017
Thursdays - 8:00 PM
Fridays - 8:00 PM
Saturdays - 8:00 PM
Sundays - 2:00 PM
Admission/Cost:
Ongoing from Friday, May 12 until Sunday, June 11, 2017
Thursdays - 8:00 PM
Fridays - 8:00 PM
Saturdays - 8:00 PM
Sundays - 2:00 PM
