Instagram/@lenawaithe
Lena Waithe is extremely grateful to the Baltimore community for their backing of her new play, which she describes as a revolution. The writer and producer emotionally thanked the community through AfroNews, a local newspaper that is highlighting the mission of the play during the last week of performances.
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Instagram and other social media platforms were full of love and support from the Baltimore community for Waithe. The actress-writer-director has also thanked AfroNews for covering the project and in her comment, she was very upbeat and said, “Grateful to be seen and held by this community.’ The play that Liza Jessie Peterson wrote and acted out has been considered a cultural awakening by critics and is going to end its run on November 9.
Theatre Goer Waithe publicized the performance a little more by stating that only five performances were left now and the audiences should come and discover the truth behind the hype. She even provided ‘Lena20’ as her code for discounts and also gave the ticket information for the Baltimore Center Stage shows along with the code. The post stressed the importance of community involvement and the ability of live theatre to facilitate meaningful conversations.
The announcement caught the interest of many people who were eagerly waiting to go to the theatre, and many of them were not only telling others how excited they were but they were also sharing their previous experiences with the play. One of the audience members who attended several shows so far, wrote, ‘I’ve seen it twice. It was very very intriguing. I really enjoyed.’ It seems that the production’s strong impact and rewatch value have greatly appealed to the audience.
Someone commented on one of the community activities related to the play perhaps inadvertently by saying, ‘The talkback at mamakokos was amazing.’ By this, the speaker highlighted the evening post-talk at a nearby venue as the studio’s attempt to draw the discussions out of the theatre and into the neighborhoods which was perfectly in line with Waithe’s ‘community first’ mantra.
The atmosphere was filled with anticipation. Someone said, ‘Coming tonight – been looking forward to this and can’t wait to witness what I can only expect as greatness.’ Another just stated, ‘Can’t wait to check it out tonight,’ and this has a dual connotation since it reflects both the increasing anticipation and the urgency of the last chance to see the critically acclaimed work before it ends.
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Lena Waithe has consistently wielded her influence in the entertainment industry to advocate for the rights of marginalized communities and to narrate their stories that sometimes even lead to social change. The audacious and bold Baltimore production of theatre is a step towards her precious legacy of social justice. The project revolves around a supportive community, and revolutionary storytelling; it is a canvas of her commitment to art that is not only entertaining but also stimulating thoughts and provoking actions. She has also recently paid homage to Lela Rochon and others in her work. The enormous positive response from the audience is a sign that the message is indeed very clear and very loud. The final week of performances will certainly be an extraordinary collective community theatre experience. Her work often celebrates her family, including her mother Vivian Ayers Allen. She has also discussed her projects like Legacy Talk as cultural archives. This play’s opening was celebrated with a powerful message about its importance.