Review Fix chats with playwright Kenthedo Robinson, who discusses his upcoming production of “The Divine Assignment.â€
About the Production:
Bey & Charles’ son is found dead at the door of their church… only the Lord knows why… for now. Join us as we solve the murder mystery by Kenthedo Robinson, The Divine Assignment.
Performances play The John Cullum Theatre of the American Theatre of Actors, 314 W. 54th Street, NYC on Thurs. April 6 & 13 @ 7pm; Fri. April 7 & 14 @ 8pm; Sat. April 8 & 15 @ 2pm & 8pm; Sun. April 9 & 16 @ 3pm & 7pm. Tickets available on Brownpapertickets.com.
A few days before Christmas, choir director Bey Allman and her husband, Charles, prepare for the arrival of their son. The smell of chicken and sweet potato pie fills the air. Holiday lights shine all over town. The seasonal joy is broken when they learn their son has been found dead at the door of the church.
The Allmans strength, perseverance, and faith are tested as they must begin an arduous journey in discovering what happened.
Will the truth set them free…or drag them deeper into despair?
The Crystal Image Performing Arts Company, winner of four Dalrymple Awards (the first award given to Off-Off Broadway) presents this drama written and directed by celebrated playwright and acclaimed educator, Kenthedo Robinson.
The cast includes Laurie Avant & Phillip Iweriebor as the Allmans; Stefon Thompson as Sedgrick Furbert, Ms. Dee as Reverend Virginia Tate, and Timothy Walsh as Detective White. Production design by Kenthedo Robinson and Nikoli Pierre (set) and Isaac Winston (lights).
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Kenthedo Robinson: I like to create early about 3AM when the world is relatively still and the pulse of life is flowing smoothly. Music is going, coffee is in the cup, outside is dark like a blank stage and my characters come on in their own accomplished spotlights and I am there with them sensing pulse of their desires, pains, joys and shortcomings.
Review Fix: What makes this different or special?
Robinson: This play is different in that it has a blend of the power of the weather and the influence of holidays which creates a perfectly blended world of the secular and sacred.
Review Fix: What did you learn about yourself through this process?
Robinson: I learned that the influence for the play came from my repeated viewing of the movie, Ordinary People which starred Mary Tyler Moore and directed by Robert Redford. A movie that turned out to be about a young man who held on to the spinning world by a thread. Sometime the thread is easy to grab and hold onto and at times it is slippery. So I, like many others just want to know that someone will encourage us to hold on or catch us if we can’t hold on.
Review Fix: How does it feel to be a part of something like this?
Robinson: It feels great to be a part of something like this because the production process allows the actors, the tech team, publicity team, etc. to have the experience of bringing to life a work of art that will somehow influence others as it has influenced them.
Review Fix: What are your ultimate goals for this production and for the future?
Robinson: My ultimate goals are to receive glowing reviews, to have the play published and more so, to inspire people and artists from all aspects of the arts.
Review Fix: What do you think your audiences will enjoy the most?
Robinson: I think they will enjoy the characters-the music teacher, the factory worker, the detective, the reverend the teenager-characters who are looked at through a small town lens. Also, the story and dialogue that engages the mind. Also, this play looks at life differently with dialogue that is just as potent by not saying what is often thought.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Robinson: I am planning to create a TV series from the play. I think this is a great vehicle for a TV series with each character being common but also intriguing in nature.
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