By Kimberly Prather, Student Reporter
Essence of Ebony will present its 11th annual Black History Production at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Cullen Auditorium.
The production will be a play entitled “Moments in the Mirror,” which follows the lives of four black college students struggling to find themselves and discovering who they are.
The four main college students are portrayed by Donovan Plumber, junior communications major from Mesquite; Jasmin Richardson, junior musical theatre major from Houston; Whitney Puckett, freshman interior design major from Palm Bay, Fla.; and Sean Anderson, freshman history major from Friendsville.
This year, Essence of Ebony is trying to do things differently, Jones said, and the play comes with more controversy than ever before. He said the play will take a look at sensitive subjects, such as the use the “N-word.”
“We are using this as an educational tactic only to make a point,” Jones said. “We are trying to show that some just use the word so freely, and we need to look at the context behind the word, the struggle that comes along with this word.”
Another aspect that will be different is the play will not give a historical perspective. Past Black History Productions have highlighted many black history stories and shown them from a different perspective.
“We are educating, but this is not a slave narrative; we are taking a look at how college students struggle today particularly though the eyes of these four African American students,” Jones said.
Audria Woodard, a graduate student from Houston, who has participated in the Black History Production for three years, says this year the play is bringing black history to today’s reality.
“The play portrays the young African American heritage of today’s society and what black history has brought to us,” Woodard said.
The goal of the play is to offer solutions and to teach those who are struggling with common college experiences: appearance, self worth or identity, to not look at others for a solution but to look at oneself.
“Everyone can find something to relate to in this play and I am excited because this year we have a chance to make history, because nothing like this has ever been done before,” Jones said.
-TICKET INFORMATION-
Tickets are available now, in the ACU Campus Center for $5. Tickets will be available at the door also. Children under the age of 3 are free. Special group rates are available. For more information contact Brandon Jones at (325) 660-3730 or Shelby Coates at (931) 249-9531.
