Having Our Say
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 1991. 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 give deeply felt personal accounts of life under Jim Crow laws, the Harlem Renaissance, and Civil Rights. While quiet 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. Plus, they're funny as all get-out.Christopher Scott Murillo must have imported his intricately-detailed set from the Delaney's Mt. Vernon home. All design elements jibe beautifully. And it's impossible to believe that Melissa Coleman-Reed made her directorial debut with this truly splendid show {Due to popular demand, New Village Arts has extended the run of this production]. Critic's Pick.
When
Ongoing until Sunday, June 18, 2017
Hours
| Sundays, 2pm |
| Fridays, 8pm |
| Saturdays, 8pm |