Nyah Ajeya
The next program in the new Table Reading series presented by Gracewell Productions at the Palace Theater, is slated for Sunday, March 27 at 3:00pm. The theme of this reading supported in part by Timothy W. and Mary Ellen Rourke, is Reflections on the Voices of African-American Women presented through four one-act plays in celebration of Women’s History Month. The plays, by award-winning playwrights Charlene Donaghy and Cassandra Medley will feature both historical and contemporary African-American characters brought to life by actresses Debra Khan-Bey and Nyah Ajeya, directed by Phyllis Bash.
The four one acts are:
How to Fix a Broken Peacemaker by Charlene Donaghy
Love and loss between sisters can be a twisted journey. For Antonia (Nyah Ajeya) and her sisters, life after social distancing during Covid might bring them together to heal from a broken past.
Motherless Child by Cassandra Medley A heart-wrenching piece in which an enslaved woman (Debra Khan-Bey) talks to the spirit of the baby girl ripped from her arms and sold away 12 years ago. This one-act was originally performed in Period Piece, conceived by Susan Cinoman, Directed by Karen Carpenter, and Produced by Tracey Knight Narang.
Take My Advice by Cassandra Medley A news report of a family torn apart by an arrest hits a personal nerve for a woman (Nyah Ajeya) who’s been through it before. She has some advice that comes from the hard road of experience. Cassandra Medley is a playwright who makes politics personal. Lifting As We Climb by Charlene Donaghy Debra Khan-Bey will be bringing to life Mary Church Terrell, an African American activist who championed racial equality and women’s suffrage in the late 19th and early 20th century. Her words—“Lifting as we climb”—became the motto of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), the group she helped found in 1896. She was NACW president from 1896 to 1901. Terrell was among the founders and charter members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The series has been curated to include works whose themes are relevant and reflect our ever-changing world.
Tickets are complimentary. To reserve seats, please call the theater’s Box office at 203.346.2000.
Gracewell Productions produces inspiring works in the arts and is thrilled to be partnering with the Palace Theatre, Waterbury on this Table Readings series. For more information about projects or Producer Lauren Yarger, visit GracewellProductions.com.
*Plays and performers are subject to change.
About the Palace Theater
The Palace’s primary purpose is to revitalize the Greater Waterbury community through the presentation of the performing arts and educational initiatives in collaboration with area cultural and educational institutions. Its mission is to preserve and operate the historic Palace Theater as a performing arts center and community gathering place that provides a focal point of cultural activity and educational outreach for diverse audiences.
For more information, visit: www.palacetheaterct.org.
The Palace Theater gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support by Webster Bank, ION Bank, Drew Marine, Savings Bank of Danbury, Bank of America, Xfinity, Post University, Powerstation Events, City of Waterbury, CT DECD Office of Tourism, Republican-American and WATR Radio.