All hell (and a little bit of heaven) breaks loose when Elijah Beckford, a prominent southern black undertaker, approaches his wealthy white cousins, Charlie, and Elizabeth Beckford, and demands to be buried in “the family cemetery.” SWEET WATER TASTE is an award-winning comedy making its South-Eastern premiere at Horizon Theatre Company this summer.
Horizon Theatre Company is continuing its 35thAnniversary Season with a production that packs more family drama than your laugh-box will be able to stand! SWEET WATER TASTE, a new comedy from Gloria Bond Clunie, will hit the Little Five Points stage from July 12 – August 18, 2019.
“You won’t want to miss this story of two families, one black, one white - two branches of one family tree in North Carolina,” says Co-Artistic Director Lisa Adler. “Funny, irreverent and topical, SWEET WATER TASTEfeatures some of Atlanta’s best actors and Horizon favorites. If you’ve loved previous summer productions from director Thomas W. Jones II (Blackberry Daze, Da’ Kink In My Hair, How Black Mothers Say I Love You), you’ll be thrilled with this Southern ensemble comedy.”
All hell (and a little bit of heaven) breaks loose when Elijah Beckford, a prominent southern black undertaker, approaches his wealthy white cousins, Charlie and Elizabeth Beckford, and demands to be buried in “the family cemetery.” SWEET WATER TASTEis an award-winning comedy making its South-Eastern premiere at Horizon Theatre Company this summer.
SWEET WATER TASTE features an ensemble of seven of Atlanta’s favorite actors. LaParee Young (Horizon’s How to Use A Knife and TV’s Greenleaf) and Chris Kayser (Alliance Theatre’s A Christmas Carol, Horizon’s The City of Conversation) are the black and white patriarchs who go head-to-head. Playing their wives caught in the middle are Lala Cochran (Horizon’s Waffle Palace Christmas) and Jen Harper (TV’s Greenleaf). The adult kids representing the next generation are Justin Walker (Horizon’s The City of Conversation), Enoch King (Horizon’s The Santaland Diaries, Constellations), and Brittani Minnieweather (Horizon’s Disney's Freaky Friday).
Artistic Associate Thomas W. Jones II leads a Suzi Award-Winning creative team that includes scenic design from Moriah and Isabel Curley-Clay, lighting design from Mary Parker, and costume design from Dr. L. Nyrobi Moss.
SWEET WATER TASTE will run July 12 – August 18, 2019. Performances are Wednesday through Sunday (Wed-Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 3 pm & 8 pm, Sun at 5 pm). Tickets start at $30 for weekdays and $35 for weekends. $20 anytime for teens and full-time student under 25 with valid student ID. Prices are subject to change and will rise as performances fill up. Patrons are encouraged to purchase tickets early for best prices. Seating is general admission. Our intimate theatre is in the heart of Inman Park and Little Five Points at the corner of Euclid and Austin Avenues (1083 Austin Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307), and includes free parking. Tickets and information are available at horizontheatre.com or 404.584.7450.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT & THE INSPIRATION FOR SWEET WATER TASTE:
“W. E. B. Dubois declared that the most difficult question of the twentieth century is the color line! Even as we slip into the twenty-first century, this question still begs to be addressed. Though integration in some arenas is evident, the vestiges of racism still lurk under the trappings of a legally desegregated society,” says playwright Gloria Bond Clunie. “In this ‘Post- Obama Era,’ why are some outraged when NFL players drop a knee with Kaepernick? Are there times when integration is inappropriate? Should all doors swing wide? Should some remain closed? What are the unspoken thoughts when two African-American sisters compete for Wimbledon? Are we truly brothers and sisters under the skin?”
“As we become a more homogenous, yet diverse society, these are subtle issues we must continue to reexamine as new generations view icons like Dubois and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as historical figures instead of living leaders. When addressing such serious issues, perhaps if we open our mouths to laugh, we might open our hearts to a wider understanding of humanity and hopefully discover unique solutions to the challenges we face in our future.”
Gloria Bond Clunie is an award-winning playwright, director, and educator. Clunie is a founding member of the Playwriting Ensemble at Chicago’s Regional Tony Award-winning Victory Gardens Theater where her plays North Star, Living Greenand Shoes premiered. She is also the founding Artistic Director of Evanston’s Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre. Other plays include SMOKE, Malindy, Sing!, Buck Naked, DRIP, Merry Kwanzaa, Mercy Risingand QUARK. Her plays have been workshopped and produced in a variety of theaters including Victory Gardens Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, ETA, Alliance Theatre, Triad Stage, Her Story Theatre, MPAACT, Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre, Penobscot Theatre and Orlando Shakespeare Theater. Originally from Henderson, North Carolina, she and her husband Basil live in Evanston, Illinois and are the proud parents of daughter Aurelia.
CAST
Elijah Beckford LaParee Young *
Iola Beckford Jen Harper *
Nathan Beckford Enoch King *
Carrie / Bianca Beckford Brittani Minnieweather
Charlie Beckford Chris Kayser *
Elizabeth Beckford Lala Cochran
Charlieboy Beckford Justin Walker
CREATIVE TEAM
Director Thomas W. Jones II
Scenic Designers Moriah and Isabel Curley-Clay
Costume Designer Dr. L. Nyrobi Moss
Lighting Designer Mary Parker
Stage Manager Joan McCarty *
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association
THE GIVEAWAY
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