The Department of Theatre premiered Tied at Fulks Theatre on Saturday.
Tied is a play set in 1963 after the death of four young Black girls in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. In the play Daniel, a devoted husband and father, has lost his youngest daughter to this tragedy. The one-man play was presented in a staged reading performance with an ACU alumnus representing the many versions of this father’s journey. The play celebrates fatherhood and African American men.
The play was written by alumna Crystal Rae and directed by Warren Jackson.
Jackson, guest artist and director, said he enjoyed working with older and younger individuals to get different perspectives and ideas on how to create the production.
“I thought the execution of the play and the performance was great for the timing and only having a limited amount of days to prepare,” Jackson said. “Things can be hectic in the beginning of the school year with people having a lot to do but we had a strong turnout and I think this was an important story that’s relevant and needs to be heard over and over again.”
Samuel Cook, associate professor of music, said this play differs from other productions because it is a play originating from an African American perspective, written by an African American playwright, for African American actors.
“What I hope the audience took away from this play is that it’s OK to feel anger and disappointment with the pain that life inflicts upon us, but at the end of the day, in order to find peace in our hearts and minds, forgiveness and reconciliation must inevitably be a vital part of the process,” Cook said.
