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Twisted Melodies: Donny Hathaway’s Battle with Mental Illness Topic of a Powerful Play

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He regaled us with such hits as “Where is the Love?,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” the holiday staple “This Christmas,” and of course the deeply reflective, ultra-soulful “Song For You.”  But underneath the powerfully emotional voice of Donny Hathaway was a man who was fighting a tremendous battle that ultimately caused him to end his own life.

Twisted Melodies seeks to peel back the layers of a musical genius who was tortured by the mental anguish of paranoid schizophrenia.  In Donny Hathaway’s case, he suffered from delusions of persecution believing that  “white people were trying to steal his sound.” His stability was further diminished by the fact the he inconsistently took the medication that would have helped manage his symptoms.

Donny Hathaway – A Song For You

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 In this one-man show written by and featuring  Kelvin Roston Jr.,  Roston delves into Hathaway’s schizophrenic experience through the eyes of the tortured artist. Roston’s credits include: Purlie, Ruined, Death and the King’s Horseman, Othello and Caroline of Change (St. Louis Black Rep). One of his most notable roles was that of Jackie Wilson in The Jackie Wilson Story where he received a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination and received awards from The Black Theater Alliance and The African American Excellence Alliance (Black Ensemble Theater). 

Twisted Melodies – Donny Hathaway

Saturday, April 11 at 8 p.m. www.centertickets.net Presented by Congo Square Theatre. This powerful and intense portrayal of the renowned jazz, blues and soul singer, composer and songwriter, Donny Hathaway, shows us the schizophrenic experience through the eyes of a tortured artist in the ’70s.

The show seeks to shine a spotlight on the very real battle many people have with mental illness. Often a taboo subject, particularly in the Black community, it remains important to continue the conversation to encourage seeking help for those who suffer. According to Samuel G. Roberson, Jr., Artistic Director at Congo Square Theatre and also the director of Twisted Melodies,

The intent of Twisted Melodies is to open up a safe and healing conversation about mental illness in our community and ways 
we can help each other cope.  Donny Hathaway was a musical genius coping with schizophrenia, 
it was a part of him and a part of his music and brilliance.  Maybe seeing this illness through a beloved artist will allow us to view 
it differently than we have viewed it in the past.

The show is being presented by Congo Square Theatre in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI). Twisted Melodies runs through September 13, 2015 at the Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago.  For ticket information, click here.

UPDATE: Don’t despair if you thought you missed Twisted Melodies! There’s a remount for the show Friday, September 18, 2015 through Sunday, September 20, 2015 at Athenaeum Theatre Studio. The show is not suitable for children under 13 as it contains strong language. A post-show discussion will follow. For ticket information, click here.

If you or someone you know if suffering from mental illness, click here for additional information on support, education resources and raising awareness.

 

Nicole "Blackberri" Johnson is a freelance writer, stage/ film actress, activist and entrepreneur. Mom of three. Blackberri is also a notorious cape thief and unapologetic bacon lover. Follow on twitter @Blackberri

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Events and Happenings

Erika Dickerson-Despenza Addresses Flint Water Crisis with Cullud Wattah

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Playwright Erika Dickerson-Despenza

There is limited seating left for Erika Dickerson-Despenza’s new play CULLUD WATTAH at The Public Theater. Opening today, Thursday, March 7th and running until Sunday, March 10th in the Public Studio is about three generations of Black women living through the current water crisis in Flint, Michigan.

“It’s been 936 days since Marion’s family has had clean water. When local activists file a class action lawsuit against the city, Marion—a third-generation employee at General Motors—must decide how best to support her two daughters, sister, and mother while lead seeps into the community, their home, and their bodies. As corrosive memories and secrets rise among them, the family wonders if they’ll ever be able to filter out the truth.”

2018 Relentless Award Semifinalist and poet-playwright makes her Public Theater debut with CULLUD WATTAH directed by Lilly Award winner Candis C. Jones; the cast includes Deonna Bouye (Marion), Alana Raquel Bowers (Reesee), Caroline Stefanie Clay (Big Ma), Nikiya Mathis (Ainee), and Kara Young (Plum).

The creative team includes Production Stage Manager Gregory Fletcher, Stage Manager Priscilla Villanueva, and Movement Director Adesola Osakalumi. Along with scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado, Costume Design by Ntokozo Fuzunina Kunene, lighting Design by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, and sound design by Megan Culley

We believe in this work so much we’re giving away 4 tickets to the performances on March 10th. 2 tickets to the matinee and two the evening performance thanks to our founder Drew Shade and actress/playwright Jocelyn Bioh. Go to our Instagram to find out how!

Also, find out more about how you can help the Flint Water Crisis and support this show HERE.

Listen to Erika talk about her work on an episode of Off Book Podcast below

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Events and Happenings

Surely Goodness and Mercy by Chisa Hutchinson Begins Off-Broadway

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Performances begin today, Tuesday February 26th, for the New York premiere of  Surely Goodness and Mercy, presented by Keen Company. A story about an exceptional boy living a troubled life in Newark, NJ who does a good deed for an often unnoticed person.   Sarita Covington, Jay Mazyck, Brenda Pressley, Courtney Thomas, and Cezar Williams star under Jessi D. Hill’s direction.

Set in an under-funded public school in Newark, Surely Goodness and Mercy by rising playwright Chisa Hutchinson, tells the story of a bible-toting boy with a photographic memory who befriends the cantankerous old lunch lady. Against all odds, Tino and Bernadette help each other through the mess of growing up and growing old.  

Surely Goodness and Mercy has spent the last year charming audiences across the country: “Notably absent from Hutchinson’s frank and sobering story: cynicism” – Chicago Reader; “(Surely Goodness and Mercy has) a soul-stirring quality, touching audiences with its sincerity” – Daily Utah Chronicle; “it’s impossible not to like it” – The Salt Lake Tribune. Now, Keen is honored to bring this big-hearted new play to New York for the first time.

Performances for this limited Off-Broadway engagement of Surely Goodness and Mercy will continue through Saturday, April 13th only, with opening night set for Wednesday, March 13th.

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