The blank page called and I answered.
In January 2018, I was compelled to put pen to paper after hearing erroneous statements made about Haiti. Since then, I’ve been developing my theatrical one-woman play, $#!THOLE COUNTRY CLAPBACK. The piece chronicles my family’s immigration journey to, in, and outside of the U.S., while I come to terms with my dual identity and the inextricable link between Haiti and America—a connection that is so often ignored, dismissed, or simply unknown. Progress so far includes:
*Initial development at Studio Tisch – NYU
*Participation in the New Black Fest at The Lark 2019 – NYC
*Participation in The Gathering at Georgetown University – Washington, D.C
*En Garde Arts hosting a reading through Uncommon Voices – Brooklyn, NY
*A reading at Georgia College – Milledgeville, GA
*Online reading, October, 20 – Loading Dock Theatre
En Garde Arts presented Uncommon Voices for All Arts TV.
$#!thole Country Clapback was featured in the first episode of the series. Watch an excerpt here:
During quarantine, I was invited by #24HourPlays to write a viral monologue—an initiative that helped artists stay creative and connected while the world stood still.
In just 24 hours, a playwright and actor were paired, a monologue was written, received, memorized, filmed, and then posted online. I had the pleasure of working with Saidah Arrika Ekulona, and here’s what we came up with:
So the pandemic had me producing a one-woman show from my apartment! In collaboration with The Forklift Reading Series of The Loading Dock Theatre, Kimille Howard directed me in my one-woman streamer of $#!thole Country Clapback.
I partnered with Friends of Haiti, a charitable organization that supports both humanitarian efforts on the island as well as assisting the Haitian diaspora in the US.
