Award-winning playwright and Texas Tech doctoral student LyaNisha Gonzalez has received multiple accolades for her work on the timely and compelling new drama.
Texas Tech University's School of Theatre & Dance, housed within the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts, will present "Black Girl, Interrupted," a play by award-winning playwright and doctoral student LyaNisha Gonzalez. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday during the play's run on Oct. 24-27 and Oct. 31-Nov. 3 in the Charles E. Maedgen, Jr. Theatre, located at 2812 18th St.
The timely and compelling new drama investigates whose story gets lost when we focus on a woman's death rather than her life. Tough and dedicated New York Times reporter Riley Jones is chasing the story of Sasha Green, a soldier whose brutal death has been covered up by the military. As she gets closer to the disturbing truth, Jones must question her motives for telling Green's story while confronting her own painful past, including her fraught relationship with her soon-to-be ex-husband and the price she has paid to pursue justice.
"The play deals with many uncomfortable topics, including race, gender and violence," Gonzalez said. "As a playwright of color, it's important that I never shy away from addressing how these issues not only affect communities of color, but also our society as a whole. I want to try to understand why some stories garner attention and outrage while others fall to the wayside, and for this story in particular, what it means when we say 'justice for all.'"
For her work on the play, Gonzalez was named the national runner-up for the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award and received the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award for Distinguished Achievement. The honors are presented by the Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival in Washington, D.C.
"I'm a real believer in the importance of supporting new works for the theater, so it's exciting to collaborate with LyaNisha on her play," Jou said. "I find new and fascinating dimensions of the play in every rehearsal, and that's a testament to the quality of the writing and to the talent of our exceptional cast of actors. I think audience members will enjoy the thought-provoking drama and moving story that is at the heart of 'Black Girl, Interrupted.'"
Tickets for the show are $15 for individuals and $5 for students with a valid student ID. A limited number of free student rush tickets are available for Texas Tech students. For more information visit the School of Theatre & Dance website or call (806) 742-3603.
