Your Theatre Kicks Off the New Year
with Gee's Bend
NEW BEDFORD, MA: Your Theatre, Inc. proudly
presents the Southcoast Area premiere of Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder’s powerful and
heartwarming play Gee’s Bend. Directed by Cynthia J. Messier of Fairhaven, the
play will run Thursdays through Saturdays January 19 –21 and 26 - 28 with Sunday
matinees on January 22 and 29. Curtain time is 8:00 p.m. for all performances
except for 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinees.
The cast for Gee’s Bend featuresIva Brito as Sadie, Maria Mojicaas Nella, Shelly
Correia playing the dual roles of Alice and of Sadie’s daughter, Asia, and
Cedric Josey as Macon. All four cast members are New Bedford residents appearing
for their first time in a YTI production. The play’s stage manager is David
Pelletier of Fairhaven.
“The play tells the story of three determined Gee's Bend women. Beginning in
1939 and spanning more than sixty years, it embraces their stories of joy and
heartbreak. Born into poverty and hardship, Sadie Pettway, learned to quilt at
her mother's side. While it was a domestic responsibility to quilt, the women of
Gee's Bend also turned to quilting as a comfort from the harsh realities of
racial indignities, spousal abuse, isolation, and despair. Interwoven with
gospel music, Gee's Bend is a deeply personal story of family, self-discovery
and artistic expression.” – Arden Theatre, Philadelphia
In 1960, an Episcopal priest recognized their talents and commissioned a group
of women to make quilts for Bloomingdale’s. Then in 2002 the Museum of Fine Arts
in Houston and the Tinwood Alliance of Atlanta organized The Quilts of Gee's
Bend exhibition. Since then, the women and their quilts have been featured and
celebrated throughout the nation and described by The New York Times as "some of
the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced.”
For non-subscribers, ticket prices are $15.00 for all performances, Discounts
are available for senior citizens, students, and military personnel. Groups of
20+ enjoy significant discounts; please inquire about group rates. YTI is
wheelchair accessible.
Ticket and other information about the production are available by calling YTI
at 508 993-0772, or E-mail ytinc@verizon.net. Web site
www.yourtheatre.org. The theatre
is located in St. Martin’s Episcopal Church Auditorium, 136 Rivet St. (at County
St)
