Facing Our Truth — Now Through Monday

As I mentioned last week, Facing Our Truth: 10-Minute Plays on Trayvon, Race, and Privilege will be opening tonight at The National Black Theatre in New York. In addition, one-night only readings of the plays will be presented by Woolly Mammoth Theatre/African Continuum Theatre Company in Washington, DC and The New World Performance Laboratory in Akron, OH.

Originally commissioned by Keith Josef Adkins at The New Black Fest, these plays are all inspired by Trayvon Martin and the trial verdict of his shooter George Zimmerman. Not only are they incredible pieces of theatre trying desperately to make sense of injustice, but I get to see my play Some Other Kid presented with the work of friends whose talents have always amazed me. Please come see what Marcus Gardley, Mona Mansour, Dominique Morisseau, several other endlessly talented folks, and I have created and keep the issues of racial profiling and gun violence part of the national conversation.

Facing Our Truth runs February 5 – 10, and I will be at the opening  performance tonight and the closing performance on Monday. On the closing night performance, I’ll be joining the other playwrights for a talk back hosted by Piper Anderson. Click here for tickets and click here for an interview with the producers on ABC7.

Haiyan Aid, Social Justice, and Some News

I realize it’s a bit belated, but happy New Year to you all! There are a lot of things coming up this late winter/early spring, so get out your calendars!

First some news: at the beginning of this year, I was appointed co-Director of the Ma-Yi Writer’s Lab. I have been a member of the Lab since it’s founding by Sung Rno, and I’m looking forward to advocating for a group of writers for whom I have an unmeasurable amount of admiration, respect, and love. To kick off 2014, Ma-Yi is holding a benefit for the victims and survivors of Hurricane Yolanda/Typhoon Haiyan. It will feature new short plays by Labbies and will be hosted by Playwrights Horizons on February 17, 2014. Save the date and find preliminary information here.

In terms of shows, the first of a few of my short works that will be produced in 2014 goes up next month. From February 5 – 10, The National Black Theater will be presenting Facing Our Truth: 10-Minute Plays on Trayvon, Race, and Privilege. The evening includes my play Some Other Kid, which was commissioned by The New Black Fest following the George Zimmerman verdict last fall. I join the folks at the NBT for the opening night celebration on February 5th and for a panel discussion on February 10th. I’d love to see you there!

Photo by Paul Bestock

And, finally, I’m delighted for The Seattle Public Theater whose production of Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them won two Gypsy Rose Lee Awards. They brought home the 2013 awards for Excellence in Overall Theatre Production (Small Company), and Jose Abaoaog received Lead Actor for his portrayal of Kenny. They have all my congratulations and  endless thanks for sharing Edith with Seattle!

There will be more to announce in the weeks to come. Watch this space!

End of Summer Update

Even as I type this, I can’t believe Summer 2013 is already coming to an end. It’s been such an eventful one that July and now August are flying right by!

As you may have seen in the New York Times and Playbill, my latest news is that I’ve been commissioned to contribute to The New Black Fest‘s evening of short plays Facing Our Truth: Ten-Minute Plays on Trayvon, Race, and Privilege. Like many of you, I was shocked by how un-shocked I was following the George Zimmerman verdict. And, like some of you, I was in New York City’s Union Square the following Sunday when the very emotional rally for Mr. Martin overflowed into the street and became a march. I am honored and delighted to be included among so many playwrights that I both respect and call my friends, and I hope my piece will contribute constructively and progressively to the dialogue on race in America.

In other news, I had a great time at Ground Floor and wrote a new play. I also spent a little time in Cambridge, MA with the A.R.T. Institute folks developing the same piece. This weekend I’m off with the Ma-Yi Writer’s Lab for our biennial retreat, and I can’t wait to share the work with them! Hopefully, all of this development will mean that I can put together a reading for you folks to hear sometime this fall.

Finally, there will be more news to come about other large-scale collaborative pieces for which I’m very excited to be writing. As soon as everything is official, I’ll let you know! Keep your eyes peeled for some fun adventures in early 2014.