Spring Break
Student play chronicles black women's strength
Nichole Bennett
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: ARTS & LIFE
On April 25, "Flowers Do Grow in the City" will show for the first time at 6:30 p.m. in the NT Auditorium Building.
The play is written and directed by NT sophomore Stevie Walker-Webb. He put on the play, "We Ain't The Huxtables," last year and sold out the Lyceum.
"'Flowers' has two main themes: one, how resilient black women are, and two, to always follow your dreams," Walker-Webb said.
The play is set in 1950s Chicago, and it tells the story of two sisters, Rose and Lily, and their mother.
Their mother, Lucille, named after the poet who inspired this play, Lucille Clifton, plays the matriarchal role in the play as the practical thinker, Walker-Webb said.
He said he was raised by his single mother and grandmother and based the play loosely on what he had seen growing up.
His mother had dreams of being in the theater and dancing but was forced to give that up when she had her first child at age 17, he said.
"The play is inspired by many things, but a lot is from what I've seen in my life, the strength of the women in my life," Walker-Webb said.
CAST, an organization started by Walker-Webb last year, is a group of NT students who act, sing and/or dance and put on original productions, such as "Flowers Do Grow in the City."
Members of the group make up the cast for this play.
"I have high hopes for this production, especially because 'Huxtables' did so well last year," said Shanavier McLemore, the publicity and production chair for the play.
Tickets will be pre-sold for $5 until showtime. At the door, tickets will be $10.
The play is written and directed by NT sophomore Stevie Walker-Webb. He put on the play, "We Ain't The Huxtables," last year and sold out the Lyceum.
"'Flowers' has two main themes: one, how resilient black women are, and two, to always follow your dreams," Walker-Webb said.
The play is set in 1950s Chicago, and it tells the story of two sisters, Rose and Lily, and their mother.
Their mother, Lucille, named after the poet who inspired this play, Lucille Clifton, plays the matriarchal role in the play as the practical thinker, Walker-Webb said.
He said he was raised by his single mother and grandmother and based the play loosely on what he had seen growing up.
His mother had dreams of being in the theater and dancing but was forced to give that up when she had her first child at age 17, he said.
"The play is inspired by many things, but a lot is from what I've seen in my life, the strength of the women in my life," Walker-Webb said.
CAST, an organization started by Walker-Webb last year, is a group of NT students who act, sing and/or dance and put on original productions, such as "Flowers Do Grow in the City."
Members of the group make up the cast for this play.
"I have high hopes for this production, especially because 'Huxtables' did so well last year," said Shanavier McLemore, the publicity and production chair for the play.
Tickets will be pre-sold for $5 until showtime. At the door, tickets will be $10.
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