Having Our Say, Delany Sisters Play, At Medgar Evers

[Entertainment: Play]

"Having Our Say: The Delany Sister’s First 100 Years," the remarkable true tale of two African-American career women and racial pioneers born in the late 1800's that survived and outlived Jim Crow, will be staged at Medgar Evers, Friday through Saturday.

The play, presented at the College by Medgar Evers Professor of Mass Communications and award-winning playwright Thomas Bradshaw is based on the best-selling autobiography by centenarian sisters Sarah Louise and Annie Elizabeth Delany.

“Staging Having Our Say has been a collaborative effort that involved talented theater professionals and Medgar Evers students,” said Prof. Bradshaw. “We are proud to present this important, moving production to the College community, central Brooklyn and New York City. Most everyone will be enriched in some way from seeing it.”
The play was first mounted on Broadway in 1995.

The sisters' story chronicles their triumphs and sorrows, and the achievements of a people facing segregation, lynching, and the Civil Rights Movement. Media praised the Broadway production of the play.

The New York Times called it "the most provocative and entertaining family play to reach Broadway in a long time.." and Newsday noted: “In fact, this must be the nicest show and inspirational pep rally in town...what a life these women have led, and how lovely to hear about America's real history from witnesses who are such good company. The Delany Sisters may seem too good to be true, but here they are.”

Bradshaw's staging has tweaked the original play to include original sound design and set concepts. The main characters are played by Sadrina Burney and Barrett Doss, veterans of the Broadway stage. He has also involved Medgar Evers College students in the production's scenic design, set building, and students will also run the boards during the two night stint.

The play will be staged Friday, December, 4 through Saturday, December 5, at 7:00 p.m. in the Founders Auditorium at Medgar Evers College, 1650 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY.

Admission is free for Medgar Evers College students; $5 for faculty and the public. For more information please contact Prof. Bradshaw at (718) 270-4983 or tbradshaw@mec.cuny.edu.

Medgar Evers College was founded in 1969 through the efforts from educators and community leaders in central Brooklyn and is named after Medgar Wiley Evers, the Mississippi-born Black civil rights activist who was assassinated on June 12, 1963.