Side Effects: Hurting People, Hurt People - Gospel Play

Aug. 8, 2010 - PRLog -- Get ready to be put on the edge of your seat, in the anticipation of what’s to happen next; it’s almost like a scene from a very dramatic movie you hear the music playing and you know that something is getting ready to happen but you just don’t  know what; so you sit and you wait, you look and you listen and then “BAM!!!!” it happens then there is weeping, moaning, crying, hurting and the emotions of being wounded and then there is the Joy, Unspeakable Joy, Great Joy from time that has passed and allowed you to heal  as you have taken the ride of life’s ups and downs, twist and turns, dips and dives, then brought to an sudden stop only to land safely in the everlasting arms of safety and then realizing that you have endured and have began to heal from the “Side Effects: of Hurting People, Hurt People.”

The stage is set, it is the engagement party of Agnes Alexander (Gail Bryant) the adopted daughter of the Late Bishop  Alexander and  First Lady Buna Alexander (Gina McKnight) who is sitting at her dining room table having a word a prayer, thanking God for all that he has done even after the lost of her beloved husband the late Bishop Alexander, while this is a play the prayer is real you could actually feel the anointing being ushered in, First Lady  Buna ended the prayer in song “The Blood Will Never Loose it’s Power”.

Gina McKnight embraces her role as First Lady Buna as she flows in her character she  gives an encouraging  word to all she encounters and she has a voice that is so beautiful that the angels in heaven can’t wait to join in on the chorus as she serenades the audience and is one of the many reasons why the Late Bishop Alexander married her.

The Role of Agnes Alexander is played by Gail Bryant who is has a deep sultry voice when she sings. As Gail transcends into her role of Agnes she takes you on the emotional ride as she displays the hurts and disappointments of life that her fiancée Brandon ( Bruce Wyche) forces her to display as he makes an announcement that  will send her into a rage. In the mean time in walks Mona Rodriguez( Shamsha  Eusebio)  who adds fuel to the fire and feels that she will come out victorious in the situation not knowing what she may be headed for in the end.    

As you sit and watch this particular scene play out you will get emotionally caught up.  The characters will have you crying, laughing, and even angry; but there is one character that I cannot forget  Uncle Al ( Fred Schmidt) he is the 71 year old  white man  being cared for by First Lady Buna and has become a part of the family  who actually thinks that he is African American, in the meantime in walks Sister Watermelon who is played by Jennifer Wilson who has some issues with Uncle Al and  between the two they will have you laughing so hard that you can’t even catch your breath; and oh yes let’s not forget Bernice (Shamar Rich-Hall) she is the best friend of First Lady Buna and the mother of Brandon, Agnes’ Fiancée she gives you the opportunity to see how some of us desire to have a relationship with God, but because of the behavior of church folk Berniece refuses to join the church.  Bernice is a woman who has lost trust in God and man.

Dr. Jasmine Harris (Lucy R. Thomas) plays the role of the Family Counselor and is the love interest of Uncle Al that has assisted Agnes into becoming the beautiful young lady that she is. While Rebecca Jefferson(Katrina Spencer)  is the best of  friend of Agnes her and her daughter Natasha( Gianna Fenn) will be there to support Agnes when she needs it the most. It is the pleas of Rebecca that Agnes hears during a critical point in her life that will save her and others.

To everyones surprise they think that  that Uncle Al is a senile old man, who begs to differ and proves that he is not by calling the police who is played by Mark Adonis as Detective Dixon who will add his own debonair flavor to the play.  

Now with all this commotion going Brandon’s best friend decides to  speak up Shady Grady (Aswan Johnson)  he wants to apologize but it just may be too late………

Other cast members are Kwanza Henderson who plays Jericho Watts and Ebonie Wells who plays Tonya Watts.  

I must give Antonio Wells the Siskle and Ebert’s  two thumbs up,  he has done an awesome job in writing this play and picking his cast and crew.He points out the fact that Brandon had been hurting because of his father’s absence from his life and from his mothers insecurities. Not knowing Agnes ends up feeling those "Side Effects" while dealing with her own issues.   There is a lesson to be learned that “hurting people, hurt people” and Antonio Wells  has brought it to the forefront and set the stage for us to began healing from our past, and embrace our future and develop an understanding that communication is the key to healing our hurts and facing our emotions.    
 
What we don’t realize is that all of us come with some type of baggage and in order to have healthy relationships with others we must first come to turns with resolving our Issues before we become involved or pull others in our circle of confusion.

Honesty is the best policy, we should not be afraid to share our feelings with others or seek out Professional Help. African Americans have lived under the taboo, that seeking out professional services to  help us is against our cultural beliefs and it is now time to break the stigma that we will be labeled crazy if we did so and come to turns that it is ok to seek  the advice of a Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or Therapist and it does not make us any less than the next person it will only enhance us and help end the cycle of  the “Side Effect: that Hurting People, Hurt People.”

"When we refuse to deal with the things that impact us emotionally and psychologically, that which has impacted us lies dormant in our soul and becomes the antagonist in the story of our life" - A.G. Well

Tickets go on sale July 1, 2010, Balcony tickets $27.00, Orchestra tickets $32.00 group rates are also available.  For more information call 954-344-5990 or you can purchase tickets online at www.coralspringscenterforthearts.com  

Showtime: Saturday October 23, 2010 at 7:00PM at Coral Spring Center for the Arts, 2855 Coral Spring Drive, Coral Spring Fl 33065

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