On Friday, October 3, 2017, the Southern University Drama Club debuted their first show of the fall semester in Hayden Hall Theatre at 7:30 pm.
The drama club production first performed Ben Caldwell’s one act play; Prayer Meeting; or, The First Militant Minister, which was directed by Southern University’s Assistant Professor of Speech and Theatre, Nicolas Zaunbrecher.
The production also performed the play, From the Mississippi Delta, a dramatic biography written by Endegsha Ida Mae Holland which was directed by SUBR’s Assistant Professor of Speech and Theatre, Antoinette Mcdonald-Ellis.
The one act play, Prayer Meeting or, The First Militant Minister, is about African-Americans utilizing religion and folk tradition as a form of resistance against racial inequality.
The play is performed by junior, Mass Communications major, Devon Bryant Fedrick, and senior, Mass Communications, major Christopher James Cruell.
The director, Nicolas Zaunbrecher, explained the process in directing the one act play.
When asked how he felt about directing this production he stated, “I really loved it. I have almost never directed in this style where it’s a little more like ‘well we got this script. You’re going to do these things for this reason.’ Most of my directing has been teaching improvisational theater so this was actually kind of a stretch for me but the two gentlemen I worked with really rose to the occasion. They were fantastic. They were willing to try anything. They made it so easy to work that way.”
The play, From the Mississippi Delta, is a biographical play about the writer Endegsha Ida Mae Holland and her difficult life and transformation to success.
The play is performed by sophomore, Brianna Bellard, junior, Yasmine Scott-Mckinley, and freshman, Alysha Guss.
The director, Antoinette Mcdonald-Ellis, explained her previous experience with the play itself stating, “My experience started back in 1998 when I first came across it and also I had the privilege of teaching at Coppin State University as well and we had done it there.”
Ellis explained that while the original intent was to put on the play, Twilight La, which is a narrative story about Rodney King and the infamous LA riot, they chose a different play due to not having enough people.
Ellis clarified why she picked From the Mississippi Delta in particular stating, “part of the reason I love this show is the poeticness of it. It’s a beautiful script. It’s a beautiful play. The way she tells her narrative, the way she incorporates the for one voice I think is just very beautiful. The writing is beautiful and also, it’s a story about a journey. A journey of an individual and that’s also something that I thought was great about putting the two plays together.”
The plays “Prayer Meeting”: or “The First Militant Minster” and “From the Mississippi Delta” show times are Nov. 3-4 and Nov. 10-11. Doors open at 7pm and show starts at 7:30pm.
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Southern University Drama Club Production Debuts First Show of Fall 2017
November 7, 2017
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