Unentitled Cast
Top Left to Right: CB Murray, Ron Scott, Charles White, Anthony Goss, Cole Taylor, Justin Walker White,
Bottom Left to Right: Brenda Thomas Denmark, Alexandra Foucard, Lynnie Godfrey, Jalene Goodwin
By Ewuradjoa Dawson
BETHLEHEM, PA -The upper level of the ArtsQuest Center was abuzz with chatter Tuesday night as people gathered with drinks in hand anxious to view Charles White’s original play, Unentitled.
“Dynamic!” was the unanimous take away from the audience. You could hear that word tossed around during intermission and again during Q&A.
The play’s backdrop is one many are familiar with. Set in 2008 at the brink of national recession when job security, financial stability, and a historic election consumed the minds of Americans. Unentitled addresses themes of family unity when things go awry.
“It’s a slice of African American life we don’t get to see,” says White. “We’re either thugs or gangsters or extremely perfect. But here are regular people with regular people problems.”
In the play, Patriarch Frank Saunders, played by Ron Scott, is a successful lawyer one promotion away from becoming partner when he is abruptly laid off. Frank sees this as opportunity to revisit a 20-year-old business venture to start a sports agency. Much to the disapproval of his socialite wife Deanna –played by Alexandra Foucard –whose family vacation home may be on the line.
Although not autobiographical, White shares some similarities with Frank having gone to law school and worked in corporate America before pursuing his desire to be a playwright.
The 5 year labor of love could not be without the support of Lehigh Valley resident, Director Lynnie Godfrey.
“I once heard that you should make your plays director proof because directors will ruin your vision. That is not the case! She [Godfrey] was a marvelous director, wonderful to work with” says White.
Award winning actor and director, Godfrey wants to introduce spoken word theatre to the Lehigh Valley. The striped down spoken word reading was a hit among the lively audience who described the reading as impressive and fierce.
Unentitled has been paralleled to the momentous Raisin in the Sun. What happens when the upper middle class black family is challenged? Do they cling to sentiment and status or clasp to strategy and survival?
Both Godfrey and White express a willingness to allow the play to evolve.
“When you live with it as long as I have its all really flat, so you look to the audience for their reaction,” says White.
When asked, “What’s next?” Godfrey energetically responses, “There will be a next! We’re hoping that there will be a similar reading in New York City followed by a workshop.”
White’s Unentitled was produced by ArtsQuest and GodLee Entertainment, Inc. with special thanks to Air Products.