The season announcement coincided with the presentation of Soulfest, a Plowshares-constructed musical revue of songs from the '70s, which ended its run Aug. 3. Soulfest launched the season.
The lineup also includes Alice Childress' bittersweet love story Wedding Band; Plowshares resident playwright Al Letson's one-man performance piece, A Summer in Sanctuary; and Order My Steps by Tracey Scott Wilson, author of The Story.
The theme for the 2008-09 Plowshares season is "Embracing Your Dreams." Each play "will look at how an individual deals with his or her dreams deferred and those dreams achieved," according to Plowshares.
The 2008-09 Plowshares season:
A Summer in Sanctuary by Al Letson, music by DJ Willie Evans, Jr., directed and developed by Gary Anderson. A Midwest premiere. Oct. 2-26. "This autobiographical one-man show by poet/playwright Al Letson ("Julius X") takes place in the summer of 2006, and chronicles Letson's journey working at a summer camp at the Sanctuary on 8th Street, a community center in an economically challenged neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida. Told through monologue, songs, poetry, and multimedia, Letson challenges perceptions about race, class and community responsibility, as he struggles to connect with the children of the Sanctuary. Funny, poignant, and ultimately inspiring, A Summer in Sanctuary, takes you into the heart of Letson's exploration, leaving you as it left him, with a better understanding of the world."Wedding Band by Alice Childress. Feb. 12-March 15, 2009. "Julia has loved Herman for ten years. So much so, to keep their love a secret she has moved repeatedly. You see, Julia is black and Herman is white, and they live in 1918 South Carolina. Their love is against the law. They dream of moving up north to start a new life together free of compromise but after a decade this dream has become a dim promise. This time, will Julia see her dream come true?"Order My Steps by Tracey Scott Wilson. April 16-May 10, 2009. Midwest premiere. "A play with music exploring the African American Church in modern times. Selena's doctor tells her that she's HIV positive, but Selena is certain that's impossible. What she doesn't know is that her husband, Malik, has been leading 'a secret life.' Selena tries to escape into the fantasy world of a church musical about AIDS and faith in her church, and her husband fights to maintain his own standing in the community. Both of them are tested morally and spiritually as their lives unravel." For more information contact Plowshares ticket services at (313) 506-2858 or visit www.Plowshares.org.
