The powerful essays by playwright, novelist, essayist, and activist Pearl Cleage were inspired by the troubles in the marriage of Miles Davis and Cicely Tyson.

Those problems serve as the backdrop for the play “Mad at Miles: A Black Woman’s Guide To Truth,” interpreted and directed by A&T theater professor Donna Bradby.

The play deals with the abusive behavior of Davis towards Tyson during their marriage, and is funny, angry, and lyrical.

It has a subject matter for a mature audience. The A&T production of the play will feature two casts; the original cast of professional actors and a student cast.

Tennelle Foust, Jamila Curry, and Tanisha Fordham, all A&T theater department graduates, will be alternating with the student cast.

Monet Marshall, Vanecia Boone, and Kalilah Black make up the student cast. Bradby discussed the subject matter of the play and what she wants to come out of her interpretation of Cleage’s essays. 

“This is a true A&T production that was originally staged at Triad Stage. Students from the Visual Arts program helped design the living collages and murals on stage.

Theater majors designed the set; our prop master, sound designer, and costume designer are all A&T theater majors.”

Bradby also said that they will be working with counseling services on campus and Family Services of the Piedmont to make sure that there are counselors on hand because of the subject matter about battered women and women being abused.

“We wanted to make sure that we had people on hand to deal with audience members.”

Their will also be talkbacks are important after the shows on the 25th and 26th in addition to the “Good Brother Blues” workshop. The men are going to be in the theater discussing the subject matter of what a good brother is while the ladies are upstairs in the television studio watching a live feed of the brothers talking.

Afterwards, the two groups will come together to have a reception with food and music to have a discussion between the two sides.

“I think it is going to be a powerful workshop that is going to give African-American women some insight into our African-American men feel about what we think a ‘good brother’ is.”

The men will be able to share how they feel a good brother should be and all of the qualities of a good brother. I really want people to come out for the fish-bowl discussion.” The play begins in Paul Robeson Theatre tomorrow and runs through the 21st. 

A second run begins February 25th and ends on the 28th.

Show times will be 8 p.m. on Thursday-Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are available in the Brown Hall Ticket Office and are $15 for adults and $10 for senior citizens and non-A&T students.  

• laporsha lowry