Take a seat, don’t bring refreshments and turn off all cell phones as you prepare for the hit play “Men Cry in the Dark.”The play, based on Michael Baisden’s book, ran a preview run at the Greensboro Coliseum Jan. 19-21. Derrick Reed, who is the publisher for “Happily Single’s” magazine, was portrayed by Allen Payne, who has starred in movies such as “The Perfect Storm,” “Jason’s Lyric,” “The Walking Dead” and BET’s original movie “Commitments.” Not forgetting his role as “G Money” in “New Jack City” and regular roles on the “The Cosby Show” and “A Different World.”The play also stars Rhona Bennett, Richard Roundtree, R&B singer Monifah and Jay Delay.The set design featured a projection screen to add flavor to certain scenes of the play, which was also very creative. The stage setup consisted of silver bars on the top level of Derrick’s apartment. The bars also linked to stairs that dropped down into the living room. During some scenes, a movable radio station obscured the kitchen and you immediately felt like one of the callers on a live radio talk show. The overall setting represented Derrick’s bachelor-type crib. There were leather couches, crimson silk curtains, flowers, coffee tables and also a view of the city. The show opens with Derrick and his father discussing the reason why Derrick quit his job. Throughout the production, Derrick constantly tries to convince his father that “Happily Single” is a wonderful opportunity for him and his career. Regardless of Derrick and his father’s disagreement over career goals, his father looked into his heart and comforted him when it came to women.Derrick goes though the next struggle on air with different women while promoting his magazine. The topic on air is “Why Do Men Cheat?” When he starts the conversation off with “Men cheat because women allow them to,” everything hits the fan. Well, that is until “Ms. Westside” turns his world upside down.The biggest struggle, however, was not Angela, his father or his friends. “The Clean Up Woman” that portrayed to be Angela’s dear friend was Derrick’s weakness.She stirs up trouble all over the place. Her character received a lot of “ooh’s and ahh’s” as she proved to be confident in her trap for Derrick. The biggest scene that caught my attention was when Derrick’s friend Mark came to rescue Derrick from his depression. Mark went into his crib and treated him like a good friend should. He cleaned up his crib, helped him up and gave him a lecture. The song titled, “Go and Get Your Lady” got the crowd really into it. He sung his heart out and picked up Derrick’s things. He placed them in Derrick’s hands and opened the door so that he could handle business and get his woman back a positive way. Do men really go though emotional damage? To each his own with that question, but at least I know now that there is a possibility that some men do suffer as much as some women. I think that the production did an outstanding job of depicting the book. “The difference between doing shows and doing theater is…[the] medium,” said Payne. “The hardest role I ever had to prepare for was “The Perfect Storm.” Payne’s next project is a movie titled “Thirty Years to Life.”Delay plans to do theater for a while, and possibly film.”It wasn’t hard working on this play because I am doing what I do,” said Delay. The show hits major cities across the country. Remaining tour dates are online at www.lovelustlies.com.