Tyler Perry finds an interesting and eloquent way to combine marijuana, cheating spouses, alcohol, HIV, relationship trials and gospel music in “The Marriage Counselor” held in the Felton G. Clark Activity Center Tuesday night.
The Center housed students, parents, faculty, and community members from all over Baton Rouge to see Perry’s 10th stage production.
The plot dealt with relationships and the hardships that come along with marriage. “(The Marriage Counselor) shows true relationship problems, in an entertaining form” said Clarence Duncan, a senior from Jonesville.
Roger is a hard working man, an accountant by profession, who works long days and nights to provide for his entire household, including his father, marijuana toting Floyd, his mother-in-law, alcohol and Bible wielding TT, and his wife, Ivy league-educated marriage counselor Judith.
Their marriage seems happy, but as Judith feels increasingly neglected by her husband’s busy work days, the temptations of an old college friend seem more and more comforting and she leaves her husband. Judith is humbled when Roger comes to rescue her from her new beau Rodney, whose cocaine problem has gotten out of control and has begun to physically abuse her.
One of the main themes of the play was HIV and its invincibility to love.
“You can’t tell someone has HIV just by looking at them,” said Antonia Adams, a sophomore from Baker.
Rodney has HIV and as the play comes to a close, Judith reads her negative results out loud to her husband who acknowledges the fact that he still loves her, but will not be with her because of her betrayals.
“HIV is the leading cause of death in our African American communities” said Duncan.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Services, HIV is the leading cause of death for Black women aged 25-34.
The cast featured new faces as well as old characters seen in Perry’s televised show “House of Payne”. Perry’s urban plays generally consist of an all Black cast but “The Marriage Counselor” had a diverse group of actors including a white character named Becky who belted her way into the audience’s heart with her outbreak solo performance halfway through the night.
“I like when (Perry) uses a diverse cast, I enjoyed Becky, watching her put forth the same effort as (the rest of the cast) shows she can do what (they) do,” said Jornel Bixon, a sophomore from Jackson.
“The Marriage Counselor” is on a 60-plus city tour and students and parents alike were thrilled that Southern was chosen as Baton Rouge’s forum.
“I wanted to take advantage of being able to participate in (the play) that was being shown at my school, I’ve never had this opportunity before,” said Bixon.
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Perry weaves several themes into new play
February 20, 2009
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