Review: Too Heavy For Your Pocket - New Play Written by Jireh Breon Holder

Playwright Jireh Breon Holder is currently premiering his award winning play Too Heavy for Your Pocket on the Hertz Stage which is apart of The Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, GA. The drama gives a snapshot look at a group of friends living in rural Nashville, TN during the time period of the Freedom Riders.  

Bowzie, played by Stephen Ruffin, has just been accepted to Fisk University.  Bowzie's wife Evelyn, played by Eboni Flowers, is super proud of her smart husband and is hoping that this new opportunity can take her out of the local night clubs singing night after night.  Tony, played by Rob Demery, is Bowzie's hard-working best friend who has a history of stepping out on his wife Sally, played by Markita Prescott.  The two couples deal with hard life lessons when Bowzie decides he wants to join the Freedom Riders on a bus to New Orleans instead of getting an education.

This play is beautifully written. Holder really gives the viewer an inside look into the homes and hearts of people during the civil rights movement. The characters and the dialog is extremely rich and powerful.  Several times during the performance the audience is pulled into the play.  A literal 'Amen corner'.  Strong themes of love, family, identity, and justice are weaved throughout the two hour show.  Holder explains that the play was inspired by a conversation with his grandmother about the Freedom Riders and the current Black Lives Matter movement.  He wanted to explore the question of choosing to participate in large political movements or choosing higher education.

Playwright Holder is the 2017 winner of the Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwright Competition.  The award allows the winner to produce a fully staged production in the 200 seat Hertz Stage apart of the Alliance Theatre.  The program's mission is to nurture and launch young playwrights.  One of the most notable alumni of the program is Tarell Alvin McCraney.  His play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue inspired the current Oscar nominated movie Moonlight.   Holder will put on another play titled The Dancing Granny late summer at the Alliance.  The play is based on the children's book The Dancing Granny by author/illustrator Ashley Bryan.

Tickets to the show can be purchased here. 

Alliance Theatre Stage Blessed By Bebe Winans - Sneak Peek of 'Born for This'

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a special sneak preview of Born for This - The Bebe Winanas Story.  The new musical about Bebe's journey of self-discovery will premiere on the Alliance Theatre stage in April. The event included a conversation between six time Grammy Award winner Bebe Winans, Broadway Director Charles Randolph-Wright, and award winning recording artist and producer Donald Lawrence. The conversation was facilitated by Alliance Theatre Artistic Director Susan Booth.

BEHIND THE MUSICAL

The event included a performance of the title track Born for This by Bebe Winans that was wonderful.  He also performed a duet with the character Penny and a song with a choir.  The panel also took questions from the audience.

Rehearsals began this week for the musical that details the story of BeBe Winans and his start with his sister CeCe Winans on the Praise The Lord (PTL) show back in 1983.  Of course PTL was a Christian television program hosted by evangelist Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker.  Donald Lawrence also worked with the PTL program early in his career so it was only fitting that Bebe Winans asked him to serve as the Musical Supervisor for Born for This.  And ironically Director Charles Randolph-Wright grew up in the Pineville, NC area where PTL was filmed.

And in true 'keep it in the family' Winans way, the roles of Cece and Bebe Winans will be played by Bebe's niece and nephew.  Donald Lawrence shared that the story is really about never giving up on your dreams.  He said some things are just in your DNA.  The director encouraged the audience to bring young people to the performance and commented that this type of art can change people which is really needed during the current climate of the nation.  The musical will run from April 13 - May 15.  Tickets can be purchased here.