RESURGENTS, written by Lawrence Floyd and Damion Sanders, Directed by Lawrence Floyd and Patricia Floyd, produced by Jackie Jeffries and the Obsidian Media Group premierred on July 21-24th, 2011 at the Dwyer Cultural Center in Harlem, New York.
This play was truly original and very refreshing to see for many reasons. However, the most important reason, artistically speaking, would be because of its innovative or vanguard point of view in which we judge the Black Male experience. The subject matter was linear, a chronology of the different phases and evolution of the Black Man's journey in America. The play ochoes and explores all aspects of mundane life for the young man of color, from the professional to the apprentice, from the old to the young, and from the rich to the disadvantaged,all "echoeing" the same experience-oppression.
Each actor on stage represented a different facet which composes the whole "genetic memory" not only of that particular character, but of his lineage, his culture, and the race as a whole. Each man represents a prism into the past as well as into the future-the resurgence! No matter what "walk of life" they each come from, the road they are all heading is the same; the road of EMPOWERMENT and SELF INDIVIDUATION.
Patricia Floyd is a highly respected director and her plays have a definitve trademark (all the good directors do) which her audience immediately identify with. And, although Mrs. Floyd co-directed this production, the full credit for directing this excellent piece must go to Lawrence Floyd. This play has his signature all over it! It's nontraditional, nonconservative, it is direct and to the point (packing a punch-"pow"!) and screams "revolution". The high level of energy, tempo and rythmn of this play are trademarks of a young director who is clearly "ahead of his time"
Neil Dawson (a 2007 Audelco Award recepient for Black Man Rising) amaized his audience once again with his vabrado and eloquent voice as the teacher. Stanley W. Mathis (The Lion King) literally made the floor under my feet tremble with his "soul-piercing" scaily voice as the houseless man. And of course, Roderick Warner was an absolute "trip" as Mr. Conflict. It reminded me of the car insurance commercial, Mr. Mayhem, causing havock. The oftentimes heavy subject matter allowed for a comic relief that he would employ from time to time.
The simplicity of the set design and lighting actually added to the audience's level of "imaginative participation" in visually creating (right along with the actors) the "episodic experiences" the gentlemen walked us through. As I watched the audience, they laugh, they "wooowed" and just simply had a good time being caught up it the young men's performance.
I certainly hope I get to see more colloboration of this type between two "seasoned" directors which really know Black Theatre!
Resurgents gets 2 3/4 stars!
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