The pre-cetpion had different organizations in support against domestic violence against women.
Singer/actress Elizabeth Lakamp performed during the pre-ception. She is a domestic violence survivor.
The beginning of the show had the some members of the cast sit in the front row then stand up to say their testimonies.
A couple of more cast members doing the same.
STL jazz singer/actress Denise Thimes was part of the cast as she says her opening monologue to the cast about surviving domestic violence.
Actress #1 talked about her experience with her abusive husband like a fairy tale nightmare with her husband as the beast in the woods and her as the Masked Man coming to slay the beast and an abusive relationship with a woman.
Actress #2 played a biracial woman who was raised in an interracial household with a white sister who, from Heaven, talked about how she was killed in the hands of her husband. "If a leaf fell off a tree, I was beaten." She said.
She tells her story as the other cast members look on.
Actress #3, Thimes, a highlight of the show, played Hammer Knuckles, and she talked about how she got her name avenging her surviving sister from an abusive relationship with a man.
The cast in somber mode.
Actress #4 played a wealthy housewife who got beaten by her rich ex-husband and talked about her relationship with him, who is dying from cancer, from the love letters he wrote her when they were married and throughout how she was beaten then get showered with jewelry.
Actress #5 played a convict in prison who got time twice. One for stabbing and killing a woman who tried to avenge her life in a restaurant where her husband beat her. Then after getting paroled, killing her ex-husband and his new wife in the home she shared with him which landed her back in prison.
Actress #6 played an upscale educated housewife formerly married to a blue-blood man, a psychiatrist. She talked about how her husband accidenatily killed his first wife and go off and the heinous sexual deviant acts he had her do when they were married from orgies to blow up dolls.
Actress #7, poet Simcah, played a woman who avenged women for a living who were battered by men after growing up in a tenant building where domestic violence took place. She talked about how she died which was caused by Actress #5.
Actress #8 talked about finally getting revenge from her abusive husband at a friend's party when he dragged her inside his car.
Actress #9 (RIGHT)in a scene with Thimes and Actress #2. Actress #9 talked about her seven -year marriage and the beatings that made her "look and talk like Joe Fraizer" and how he had people convinced that she was the abuser.
Actress #10, another highlight, was the eldest of the cast who talked about the horrific abuse she encountered with her husband (the raping portion of her monologue was riveting yet wrenching) what women should do to keep their men happy by cooking him breakfast in bed with fatal results.
The playwright, David Harris played a menacing character named Bob in the latter half of the play. Although his part in the play is a bit overindulging , Harris represented all the abusive husbands.
Harris and Thimes in an intense scene involving her protecting the women from his abuse.
Thimes and Simcah in final moments of their scenes.
Harris gave some dimension to his character by asking "what about my pain?" He also, within character, demanded the light man to keep the light on him so he can explain himself.
The cast at the curtain call.
Overall BREAKFAST In BED was quite moving. The two hour play--with no intermission--was VAGINA MONOLOGUES meets FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO CONSIDERED SUICIDE. Although the stories seemed a bit ubiquitous in regards to the men in their lives taking liberties to abuse them, the message was definitely felt in each actress' story (especially Thimes and Actress #10)
This play is not for the tender heated but its A MUST SEE.
For more info to see this play, go to its website at http://www.themonarchtheatreproject.com/, or drop an email- info@themonarchtheatre.comor call 314.827.7377.
No comments:
Post a Comment