Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 12-6-19

Feature
‘Single Black Female,’ Theatrical Production, Opens This Weekend
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
The upcoming theatrical performance “Single Black Female” – which opens this weekend at Stageworks Theater – shares wordplay with a popular ’90s movie, but that’s where the similar- ities end.
The show is a series of vignettes written by playwright Lisa B. Thompson and features two Black women, a lawyer and a professor, who share the ups and downs of life – family relation- ships, careers, and love. The play, directed by Theron Butler and co-starring India Davi- son and Simone Farrell, runs through Dec. 8.
It’s the latest produced under Fluid Expres- sions, a theater company founded last year by Davison and Cornelio Aguilera. The pair, longtime colleagues on the local theater scene, had become dismayed by the lack of diversity in productions – in both cast and plays.
Fluid Expressions seeks to add what’s miss- ing, hence its productions of plays written by Black women like “Single Black Female” and its debut production, “Topdog/Underdog” by Suzi Lori Parks.
This summer, the company staged “Filthy Gentlemen,” where two men explore how sex is just a game to them. That was preceded by Melanated Masterpiece, an exhibition featuring the works of local artists.
The latter was so popular it’s being expanded into a four-day festival next year, Davison said. The goal is to bring to the public productions and events that can’t be found in the main- stream. And that’s reflected in the makeup of Fluid Expression’s team, which includes Asian,
Left, India Davison, and right, Simone Far- rell.
Hispanic, and LGBTQ artists.
“I saw a window of opportunity and said ‘ok,
everybody is thinking about it, but I’ll do it,’” she said. “I’m going to create my own light and bring other people...and it will be huge. I’ll blind you.”
That attitude carries over into the plays Fluid Expressions produces. In “Single Black Female” both women – known as SBF1 and SBF2 – un- apologetically dive into topics that challenge how Black women are perceived.
“This play really shows the dynamic of many Black women,” Davison said.
It also makes plain who Black women are and what they really want, said Farrell. “We’re human beings,” she said. “We all just want love.”
If You Go
Single Black Female is playing through Sun- day, Dec. 8th, at the Stageworks Theatre, 1120 E. Kennedy Blvd. For more information or to pur- chase tickets, visit www.stageworkstheatre.org.
Skills Center To Launch Y. E. S. Program Saturday
BY MONIQUE STAMPS Sentinel Feature Writer
Saturdays are a great day to enjoy our community and spend time with friends and neighbors. This Saturday, December 7, 2019, the Skills Center will host a community launch for the Tampa Y. E. S. Program. The launch will celebrate the Tampa Y. E. S. (Youth Engagement in Sports) Program, made possible by a $800,000 grant by the De- partment of Health and Human Services’ Engagement in Sports research program.
The purpose of the grant is to reduce barriers and increase youth participation in sports for sixth grade girls. According to Celeste Roberts, one of the co-founders of the Skills Academy, “The YES Initia- tive intends to identify character-
istics of effective collaborations that improve physical activity and nutrition via increased sports participation.”
This event will provide the community with an opportunity to learn about the research proj- ect to support 6th grade girls in physical activity, sports, health and nutrition and social and emotional learning.
The event will be held at The Skills Center located at 6919 N. Dixon Ave., Tampa, FL 33604. RSVP to the free event by going to https://www.eventbrite. com/e/tampa-yes-program- community-launch-tickets- 83024066217. There will be food, special vendors, special guests, and lots of fun activities.
CELESTE ROBERTS
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019