March 27-April 28, 2019
By Nambi E. Kelley | Directed by Psalmayene 24
Featuring Clayton Pelham Jr. (as Bigger Thomas) with Lolita Marie, Melissa Flaim,
Drew Kopas, Vaughn Midder, Tendo Nsubuga, Madeline Joey Rose, Stephen Schmidt,
and C. Renee Elizabeth Wilson
Richard Wright’s iconic novel about oppression, freedom, and justice comes to life on stage in this ground-breaking adaptation. Suffocating in rat-infested poverty on the South Side of Chicago in the 1930s, 20-year-old Bigger Thomas struggles to find a place for himself in a world whose prejudice has shut him out. After taking a job in a wealthy white man’s house, Bigger unwittingly unleashes a series of events that violently and irrevocably seal his fate. Adapted with theatrical ingenuity by Chicago’s own Nambi E. Kelley, this Native Son captures the power of Richard Wright’s novel for a whole new generation.
“A bold new tone…distills Wright’s novel into 90 intermission-less minutes that are all action. It appreciates Wright’s book for its intensity, refusing to slow down.” — Hartford Courant
ABOUT MOSAIC THEATER COMPANY
Independent, intercultural, entertaining, and uncensored, Mosaic Theater Company is committed to making transformational, socially-relevant art, to producing plays by authors on the front lines of conflict zones, and to building a fusion community to address some of the most pressing issues of our times. Dedicated to making our theater a model of diversity and inclusion at every strata, on stage and off, Mosaic invests in the new as we keep abreast of our changing and challenging times to ensure that our theater is a responsive gathering space, all the while nurturing and producing art of the highest order. We complement our productions with comprehensive engagement through free pre- and post-show programming, an annual intercultural festival, like our “Voices From a Changing Middle East” series, and educational initiatives, including our touring “Mosaic on the Move.” We strive to foster a culture of listening and welcoming, embracing complexity and a multi-focal perspective. Our plays speak truth to power and to the private parts of our soul. In short, we make art with a purpose and strive for impact.
Sponsors
Mosaic Theater Company of DC
Committed to making theater inclusive, Mosaic brings a mix of communities together to encounter our shared humanity on stage, interrogating our intertwined histories and grappling with many of the pressing social and political issues of our time.