Mahogany Ensemble Theatre
Mahogany Ensemble Theatre Director Angelique Feaster has always been fascinated with author Toni Morrison's work, be it "Beloved," "Sula," "Song of Solomon" or any of the other many books she's written. So when she had a chance to peruse the script for "The Bluest Eye," Feaster said she was taken by the dramatic elements Pecola is played by 21-year-old Ashlei Alford. "Pecola is very sad and she wants to be loved by everyone," Alford said. "She doesn't like her black skin and she's isolated by everyone." Feaster said what really drew her to the play was the element of tragedy for a young girl at such an early age. "The message for me is how we need to be mindful as adults as to what we do, what we say and the thoughts and actions we can plant into young people," she said. "Our words can speak blessings or curses. They can encourage but also suppress the light that young people have within them." Mary Thompson, 27, plays 12-year-old Claudia. "She's a sensitive young lady and she matures throughout the play," Thompson said. "Claudia, played by Thompson, does a fine job of carrying us along as an audience to help tell the story," Feaster said. Feaster said when it came time to cast actors for the production she had to double cast the roles of Frieda and Pecola. Frieda is played by Erin Roch and Nia Savoy. The other actor playing Pecola is Jori Jackson. "They all brought something very unique and special to their characters," Feaster said. "They provide the emotions and the feelings and they really bring those characters to life." In preparing for the role of Pecola, Alford said she did things to really get into character. "I would sleep outside in my back yard so I could feel like I was alone," Alford said. "I felt alone and abandoned and those are emotions Pecola goes through." Thompson said playing the role of Claudia is fun, yet demanding. "She's 12 and I'm 27 so you have to reach back a little bit for that character," she said. "But she's mature for her age and the audience will fall in love with Claudia." "The Bluest Eye" is Mahogany's third production in its fourth season. The theater will round out the season with "Dreamgirls" in August. "We're going to tie it in with a summer arts program called Camp Aspire that we're doing with the Bossier Arts Council," Feaster said. The camp will be held in June and July and will consist of two three-week sessions. Each participant will be a part of the "Dreamgirls" musical. "Our turnouts have been growing by leaps and bounds," Feaster said. "In the first year at one of our shows we had 22 people. But we've been able to nurture our audiences and we've had 200 people in the audience for our summer show." Fester said when they did "The Wiz" for the children's theater piece the room was packed. "I remember a friend of mine saying, 'Angelique, how does it feel to have a full house?' I said, 'I don't count the numbers.' I try to encourage and reinforce to my actors that I don't care if it's two or 2,002 in the audience, they each deserve your very best." Alford said although "The Bluest Eye" is set in the 1940s, it also relates to today's society. "Society looks up to light-skinned girls and white girls with blue eyes," she said. "This play shows what it's like for a brown-skinned girl to go through this." Feaster said, "We're excited to bring this piece to life." Painting a portrait of womanhood, "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf" examines the struggles and hardships that many women face. Presented by Mahogany Ensemble Theatre, the award-winning play is a collection of monologues performed by seven black women. "For Colored Girls ..." is the second production in the ensemble's season, "Rites of Passage: From Girlhood to Womanhood." "All the phases of womanhood are represented, from teenage girls to elderly women," Feaster said. Sharon Penson plays the Lady in Blue, a "strong-willed woman with a sassiness about herself." "This character you will see smiling, then dancing and ultimately crying," Penson said. "For Colored Girls ..." stars Neverlyn Townsel as the Lady in Brown, Geneva Smith as the Lady in Yellow, Dorethea Townsel as the Lady in Purple and Tunya Williams as the Lady in Orange. Feaster will star as the Lady in Red.
"Bluest Eye" exposes girl's fears, desires
of it and how it focused on a young girl's coming of age. Those elements will be brought to the stage with Mahogany Ensemble Theatre's production of "The Bluest Eye," which opens Thursday at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum Theatre. "It fits perfectly with this season, 'Rights of Passage: From Girlhood to Womanhood,'" Feaster said. "The Bluest Eye" is the story of Pecola Breedlove, an 11-year-old black girl in the racially turbulent 1940s who prays for her eyes to turn blue so she will be beautiful, people will love her and her world will be different. "I like the deeper meaning on how it explores love versus acceptance through the eyes of young people," Feaster said.
Erin Lorio (left) and Mary Thompson star in Mahogany's "The Bluest Eye."
(Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times)
Feaster said the play shows both experiences. Sisters Claudia and Frieda — who narrate the story — have a very loving family. "Their mom is coming right out of the Great Depression but shows that undying, unconditional love for the children," Feaster said. "Parents work hard to provide for their children, but they are able to still love them and be concerned about them." Pecola's situation is the opposite as she is detached from her mother and her father. "There is this feeling of the lack of love, almost hatred and resentment that this child has to witness, violence between the parents," Feaster said. This brings Pecola to the conclusion that if she had blue eyes people would see her differently, people would love her and wouldn't want to do bad things in front of her. "So it really kind of encapsulates how young people can see themselves based on the treatment they receive from others, whether it's children or whether it's adults," Feaster said.
Play addresses struggles, hardships of women
"This production explores the lives of Africa
n-American women in a variety of perspectives," director Angelique Feaster said. "Themes deal with rape, domestic violence and self-worth." There are no character names in the play. Instead, each woman is assigned a different color to represent who they are. According to Feaster, every woman will be able to relate to the characters in some way or another. "This piece speaks to all women," Feaster said. "It speaks to the free-spirited woman, the no-nonsense woman and the matriarch."
Feaster made a few changes to modernize the play, which was written in the '70s by Ntozake Shange. "We added some contemporary music from artists Lauren Hill and Jill Scott," she said. "We put a twist on it." While the play is female-oriented, Feaster doesn't want audiences to walk away angry at men.
Tunya Williams (left), Neverlyn Townsel, Mary Thompson (standing),
Geneva Smith, Dorothea Townsel) photo: Val Horvath/The Times
"Oftentimes, this production leaves people with a perception of male-bashing," she said. "We want people to walk away with a newfound discovery of who we are, the essence of womanhood. Mary Thompson plays the Lady in Green and describes her as a woman who is "sick and tired of being sick and tired." "The play is about self-awareness, women loving themselves and men learning to appreciate women," Thompson said. Although the play addresses mature themes and is not suitable for children, Feaster said it is a must-see for teenage girls. "I think the audience will leave with an overwhelming feeling of peace knowing that other women are dealing with the same things, and they'll be able to see how these characters cope," Penson said. "The audience will be able to dance with us as well as shed a tear."
Mahogany opens season with touring production
The Mahogany Ensemble Theatre is kicking off its 2009 season, "Rites of Passage: From Girlhood to Womanhood," with a touring production of "Steal Away." The light-hearted comedy will be in 
performance.
"We're kicking off the season with some heartfelt stories," director Angelique Feaster said. "Each story is looking at the lives of women and the overcoming spirit of women." "Steal Away," set in
"She's one of the young girls the group helped send to college and now she's the mastermind behind the bank robbery," said Mary Thompson, who plays Tracy Ada. "Tracy Ada represents the new generation of young women," Feaster said. "She's full of spunk and energy and doesn't mind charting new courses and trying different approaches." And hard times called for drastic measures. "People weren't donating and buying lunches so she came up with this idea," Thompson said. "Times were hard and you had to do what you had to do."
Lorie Pennywell (left), Sharon Penson, Angelique Feaster, and Dorothea
Townsel star in "Steal Away," directed by Angelique Feaster.
(Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times)
Although the play tackles different issues of the time — from money shortages to race relations — it's all blended in a light-hearted and inviting way,
said Feaster, who plays Jade. "Each of the characters has a personality trait that really rounds out the story," Feaster said. "Jade is probably the June
Cleaver of the bunch, the little mousey type," she said. "She just goes along with the ride. But Stella is the matriarch, the head honcho." Feaster said
Sudy is cool, calm and collected while Redd is the sassy one in the group. "And in her youth, Blu Daniels was the real feisty spirit, almost on the
borderline of a wild child." The production, Feaster said, has an overcoming spirit. "If there is a will, there is a way," she said. "Who would think five
church women would try to rob a bank? That's the comic relief in the whole production."
