The 2022 fall plays, One Slight Hitch by Lewis Black and Chicken and Biscuits by Douglas Lyons, premiered from November 11 to November 19. The plays were executive directed by Leslie Jones and executive produced by Hope Bachman. The plays were student directed by junior Yahney-Marie Sangare and student stage managed by junior KD Bectel.
One Slight Hitch
Senior Neya Alper and junior Peter Russo perform in One Slight Hitch as married couple Delia and Doc. In 1981, a suburban family prepares for their eldest daughter’s wedding. They are interrupted by an unexpected guest. On the table in front of their floral couch is a broken fertility statue (created by junior Tanween Syed). An old portrait from Doc and Delia’s wedding day hangs on the wall in the back. Freshman Arianna Espiritu plays Plante Ballantine Davis Coleman, who prefers to go by PB for “obvious reasons.” She sits in spotlight on the downstage window seat, breaking the fourth wall and talking to the audience about the 1980s.Sophomore Ione Erber plays Courtney, the bride-to-be, and junior Lucas Trueblood plays Ryan, her ex-boyfriend who wanders his way into the Colemans’ Ohio home on Courtney’s wedding day. Courtney speaks out to the audience in her wedding dress, the cake (constructed by junior Jei Huddle) rests on the table, and Ryan accepts defeat leaning on the couch in a gray shirt. Ryan excitedly explains his take on the wedding to PB, who wears her lavender bridesmaid of honor dress and sits on the top of the couch. Melanie, the suggestive, rebellious sister, is played by junior Angelina Martinez. Ryan awkwardly steps away from her advances, wearing a rain slicker and shorts. Melanie, in a towel, grins at him. Doc poses pensively with his golf club in the living room. Courtney wears eighties athleisure, complete with bright pink tights and a blue sweatband, as she speaks outward. Doc returns from a trip to the basement in full fishing attire as he explains the joys of the activity to PB, who sighs in boredom while wearing cleaning gloves. Doc talks to the groom-to-be’s parents, played by junior MC Finegold-Sachs and senior Michael Goldsberry, as they arrive at the door. The cast of One Slight Hitch motions to the lightbooth during curtain call. From left to right: junior Angelina Martinez (Melanie), freshman Arianna Espiritu (PB), sophomore Ione Erber (Courtney), junior Peter Russo (Doc), senior Neya Alper (Delia), junior Lucas Trueblood (Ryan), sophomore Christos Pethokoukis (Harper), senior Michael Goldsberry (Harper’s dad) and junior MC Finegold-Sachs (Harper’s parent).
Chicken and Biscuits
Senior Amiera Miller plays Mother Jones. With a black scarf veiling her dress, she sings from the stairs of the New Haven church where the Jenkins family gathers for Bernard’s funeral.
Senior Jeneya Kamara plays the extravagant Beverly, who is smoking a cigarette in her hotel room. She is lit in a circle of white light with a fur coat behind her on a table. Senior Eniya Bingham-Johnson plays La’Trice, Beverly’s sassy, teenage daughter. She wears red Jordans and a black T-Shirt to her grandfather’s funeral. Kamara as Beverly stands next to her, tapping the microphone in front of her father’s coffin. A bewildered pastor Reginald (senior Nathan Desta) looks on judgmentally from the pews, with Deaconess Rivers (freshman Jennifer Adu-Wadier) and Mother Jones (senior Amiera Miller) watching disappointedly behind him. Senior and Stage Left Wing Manager Owen Maccubbin plays Deacon Rivers, who scrubs the alcohol off the floor of the church after Beverly poured libation on the hardwood. Reginald interrupts Mother Jones’ crooning rendition of Amazing Grace, much to the relief of his daughter, Simone, played by sophomore Ariana Singleton. Reginald delivers a powerful sermon to the audience with full vigor. The churchgoers behind him do not seem to be so impressed. Reginald enthusiastically reunites with his son, Kenny, played by freshman Liam Fiore-Walker. Kenny’s boyfriend, Logan, played by freshman Jacob Perlman, stands awkwardly behind them. Reginald stands next to his frustrated wife, Baneatta Mabry, played by junior Promise Duah. Dressed in a blazing red church suit, she stares offstage as he stands next to her. Logan takes a deep breath before continuing his speech to Kenny. Logan leans away anxiously from Simone as she addresses him as Larry. Kenny watches on bewildered as Beverly smiles at the encounter. The entire church reacts in pain and adversity to Mother Jones’ singing. Baneatta delivers a killer expression as she compares her achievements to her sister’s.
