Tag Archives: Thomika Marie Bridwell

Aug 17

Women of Intellectual and Moral Worth: “A Light Under the Dome”

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Presented by Plays in Place and the National Parks of Boston
This play is the first of three plays commissioned by the National Parks of Boston as a part of the Suffrage in Black & White series.
Written by Patrick Gabridge
Directed by Courtney O’Connor
Featuring: Thomika Marie Bridwell, Amanda Collins, Marge Dunn, Bridgette Hayes, Regine Vital, (U/S Aimmee Robinson).

SOLD OUT
August 12-15 2024
ASL Interpretation on Aug. 12 or Aug. 15
Massachusetts State House
24 Beacon St
Boston, MA 02133

Running time: Approximately 75 minutes

BOSTON — The run of A Light Under the Dome presented by Plays in Place ended on August 15. With any luck, the show’s sold-out run and enthusiastic audiences may convince Plays in Place, the National Parks Service, and the honorable Massachusetts Senate members to permit a second run. 

SUMMARY: It is the night of February 21, 1838, in Boston, Massachusetts. Exiled Southerner Angelina Grimke (Amanda Collins) becomes the first American woman to address a legislative body. Grimke uses her platform to argue vehemently for the abolition of slavery while asserting the full citizenship of American women. She is supported by her fellow abolitionists Maria Weston Chapman (Marge Dunn), Lydia Maria Child (Bridgette Hayes), Susan Paul (Thomika Marie Bridwell), and Julia Williams (Regine Vital).  Continue reading →

Sep 29

Big Guts, Good Choices: The Huntington and The Porch present “Fat Ham”

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Presented by The Huntington in association with Alliance Theatre and Front Porch Arts Collective
Written by James Ijames
Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb
Choreography by PJ Johnnie Jr.
Fight Direction and Intimacy Coaching by Jesse Hinson
Dialect Coaching by Adi Cabral
Voice Lessons by David Freeman Coleman

September 22 – October 29, 2023
Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA 
527 Tremont St
Boston, MA 

Running time: 95 minutes, no intermission

Review by Kitty Drexel

“Haam”
Slang: Hard as a motherfucker. One can go haam for anything: Sports, homework, smoking, sex, drinking, driving, etc. From UrbanDictionary.com

Or, 

“HAM”
Slang: A Ham is a burger with no bread. A loser, a peasant, a bum with no motion and no desire or solution to make some money. Whatever you do stay away from Hams they are contagious and NEED a vaccine. From UrbanDictionary.com

BOSTON, Mass. — 2023 Pulitzer-prize winning play Fat Ham is at the BCA’s Calderwood Pavilion now thru October 29. Stevie Walker-Webb brings James Ijames’ hilarious opus to Boston thanks to the collaboration of Front Porch Arts Collective, the Huntington, and Alliance Theatre. 

Many modern Shakespeare productions claim to be for a new audience. Some of these productions are merely Shakespeare set in an urban environment or slightly updated to correct historical sexism, racism, or homophobia. There’s nothing wrong with maintaining this tradition.

Fewer Shakespeare productions are truly for a modern audience: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) summarizes the Bard’s works; Shit-Faced Shakespeare performs for improv-loving, alcohol-fueled audiences of frat-bros and frat-bro allies. Fat Ham truly goes where no modern production has gone before.  

Fat Ham transcends a retelling of Hamlet. It doesn’t merely transpose the story of a young man bent on parricide/patricide because the ghost of his father visits him after his uncle marries his mother. It goes harder.  Continue reading →

Nov 06

To Laugh Without Restraint: “BLKS”

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Presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company
Written by Aziza Barnes
Directed by Tonasia Jones
Fight & Intimacy choreography by Ted Hewlett
Dramaturgy by Raul Avila Munoz

Oct. 29 – Nov. 20, 2021
South End / Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA
Boston, MA 
SpeakEasy on Facebook

Review by Kitty Drexel

BOSTON — Last Thursday night, I had the privilege to see BLKS with an audience that contained a larger population of non-white people than most. It was revelatory to watch a cast perform for an audience they could identify with. The cast relaxed into their excellent performances. They took risks. We appreciated them. It was great until it wasn’t. 

When a cast relaxes, the audience does too. This is wonderful if the art is for you. It’s not when the art is for someone else.  Continue reading →

Feb 22

Presenting the Black Female Experience in America is a Revolutionary Act: “for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf”

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Photography by Roberto Mighty; From left: Verna Hampton, Kerline Desir, Thomika Marie Bridwell, Dayenne CB Walters, Karimah Williams, Tonasia Jones. Not pictured: Ciera-Sade Wade.

Presented by Praxis Stage
By Ntozake Shange
Directed by Dayenne CB Walters
Choreography by W. Lola Remy

Feb.15 – 25, 2018
Hibernian Hall
Boston, MA
Praxis on Facebook

Review by Noelani Kamelamela

(Boston, MA) When theatre is about lifting up oppressed voices, it is a revolutionary act.  Praxis Stage’s production of “for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf” during Black History Month qualifies.  I recommend that locals go and see this production if they can.  Although “for colored girls . . .” is done regularly with student casts, such as the production at Boston College in 2014, it is inspiring to see a range of ages authentically represented in this show.  I will also mention that the space in Hibernian Hall is accessible, which is not always a possibility for theatre companies in the Boston area. Continue reading →