Woody King Jr’s NEW FEDERAL THEATRE, Producing Artistic Director Elizabeth Van Dyke and NORTH CAROLINA BLACK REPERTORY COMPANY, Producing Artistic Director Jackie Alexander
Presents

BLOOMING IN DRY SEASON
By ELJON WARDALLY

Starring
NIKYLA BOXLEY, MELANIE MATTHEWS, and BRIAN RICHARDO

Directed by JACKIE ALEXANDER
Scenic Design: ISABELA and MORIAN CURLEY-CLAY
Lighting Design: ANTIONETTE TYNES
Costume Design: GREGORY HORTON
Sound Design: LEE MARTINEZ CRUZ
Press Agent: JONATHAN SLAFF AND ASSOCIATES

WP Theater
2162 Broadway @76th Street
May 28 – June 28

Eljon Wardally’s BLOOMING IN DRY SEASON takes us to a small family-owned rum shop in Grenada. The family consists of father Fitz (Brian Richardson), mother Rose (Melanie Matthews), and 16-year-old daughter Garland (Nikyla Boxley). Garland’s talents as a steel drum play have been recognized by an offer to tour with a Caribbean Calypso group. Although a great reason for celebration, this offer brings about a clash of generations spurred on by broken dreams, disappointments, unfulfilled promises, and fear of history repeating itself. As the family struggles to deal with these long-simmering issues, the one constant that bonds them is love.

Wardall injects humor into vulnerabilities and misguided protection efforts, and the staff does an admirable job of letting us glimpse into these characters’ foibles and strengths. And this makes them even more lovable. The fantastic set by Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay makes you want to order a rum and stay a while. BLOOMING IN DRY SEASON is worth the trip, even without the rum.

- Laurie Lawson -