We Were There: Wake Up With Toast!

Tony Award-winning poet, Lemon Andersen transports us to the D-Block prison cell in his new work in progress, Toast. This free public reading presented at the Public Theater’s Under the Radar Festival on January 19th was a packed house! (At least 200 people) Lemon brought out a stellar all-star cast for the occasion and even with a bio as impressive as his, humility seeped through his pores when you spoke with him. This collaboration between Lemon And Elise Thorton (director/developer), is the pairs second and it proved to be magical. The UTR blurb described the event as such, (see below) however it does not give this influential script justice.

A reading of Andersen’s new play celebrates the poetic history of black oral narratives called “toasts” and re-imagines Dolomite, Stackolee, Annabelle Jones, Jesse James and other legendary folklore heroes in Attica prison where a riot is brewing.
“Toast” is an art form of reciting poetry based on characters and situations driven from the Black Experience, mostly told and performed in the prisons, bars and pool halls of America. The play honors this poetic form and brings its heroes to the stage.

The melodic trance begins from the actor’s entrance! They stroll on, one by one with swag to the undertones of voiceover dialogue. Here they are:

Andre De Shields as Hobo Ben, Alex Hernandez as Jesse James, Phillip James Brannon as Anabelle, Ron Cephus Jones as Stackolee, Keith David as Dolomite, Stephen Tyrone Williams as Hard Rock, Tony Plana as GI Joe, and Thomas Schall as Sheriff Jody. Stage Directions read by Jacobi Howard

From the moment these men open their mouths, you arrive in/to Attika Circa 1971. The pace is fast as we are introduced to this triad of characters who enlightened us on the way of life in prison. They share war stories to pass the time and read the newspaper together, yet this story is much bigger. Shedding light on Afro Latino conflicts, politics and a system that is corrupt which perpetuates a vicious cycle of violence & sexual exploitation, the words hit hard. Hard Rock, a Vietnam vet, is the leader of D-Block and their prince. As he organizes his cellmates while demanding better living conditions, he is also known as too outspoken;

“How free are the poor? Unemployed? Disadvantaged? We demand what is fair!”
“If you live one day and change the world you live forever.”
“Knowledge is our God- God is our knowledge.”
“I rather be judged by 12 then carried by six” -Hard Rock

Some of these quotes are just a snippet of the beauty that is Toast. A powerful moment in length was a passionate monologue in spanish by GI Joe to the newest inmate, Jesse James, (latino from the south bronx) was delivered beautifully by Plana shoving a mirror in the faces of Latinos to how we relate to our african roots even today. “I know it ain’t never gonna get better for a black man or that half-breed over there.”-Stackolee

Toast takes us on a heart-gripping journey of brotherhood. This powerful piece moved me to tears. These actors gelled. They bounced off one another like a beautiful game of basketball. With so many of our brothers in the system, stories like this are vital on the American Theater stage. Words may not really capture the true spark that was created in the Newman Theater on that day, however, I hope Toast is developed from this reading to a full production. It is much too important to not expose to audiences everywhere including the Great White Way!

“What a thrill to be a part of this important/poetic journey..”- Ron Cephus Jones

“I want to do more theater, works like this feed the soul.”-Tony Plana