Shows

VOICES

The Authentic Story of Slavery

Voices is a series of monologues that tells the story of slavery from the perspectives of former slaves. Its authenticity is based largely in over 3,000 interviews conducted between 1936 – 1938 across seventeen slaving holding states in the southern parts of the USA.
Additionally, creditable works by revered individuals such as Fredrick Douglas, and Lloyd Garrison, as well as “Slave Laws” were reviewed to authenticate the monologues.

The Nature of the Play

Voices is presented as theatre of the mind. It does not use stage props. It seeks to mentally take the audience to the spaces of enslavement and allow for individual interpretation of the historic episode that has shaped and continues to shape relationships in society.
The goal of this project is to share a particular history of human importance with the audience. It encourages change in the ways people view each other in society. The performers of these monologues think of themselves as being privileged to tell the authentic story of the experiences of their slave ancestors. The duration of the play is approximately two hours.

Cast Members

Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Javere Green

as Addae Duruaku

was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Ashburn, Virginia. Javere has been acting since high School, He is a graduate of Shenandoah University with a BFA in acting. He opines, "this is my most engrossing role as an actor."

Maēshay k. Lewis (a.k.a. MK Lewis)

as Jane Sweeny and Julia Hill

Maeshay is currently a Grants Administrator at Medgar Ever College, CUNY. A Brooklyn native of Jamaican and Southern descent, she has honed her talents as a stage and voice actor, and writer. As a former dancer, she was a seasonal company member of Martha Bowers’ Dance, Theatre, Etc. She has also worn the moniker of a spoken word artist, journalist, and stand-up comedian who has featured at venues such as Nuyorican Poets Café, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the former Carolines Comedy Club, and the Laugh Factory, NYC.

Kenneth Coit

as Johnny Macon

Kenneth has performed with the St. Mary's Production of "God's Trombones" throughout the tri state area. He also preformed "Father where are thou" with the Poperi Productions throughout the five boroughs. Kenneth is a dedicated deacon and loves the Lord.

Page Best-Hardy

as Patsy Goodman

Page is a retired Family Leadership Coordinator from the NYC Department of Education CSD 23, and the CEO of Faith In God, Consultants. She enjoys researching and creating presentations to enlighten and empower families to identify and interrupt intergenerational risk factors that destroys the family bond.

Denise McLai

as Emma Hill

Denise was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She is an alumna of the College of New Rochelle. She is a retired Parent Coordinator from NYC public schools in Brooklyn, NY. During her tenure with DOE she sat on the Executive Board of DC37, Local 372 for three terms. She also served as the Political Action Chair for the union and was an afterschool youth counselor.

Denise served as the president of the Women’s Organization in her church, The United Christian Assembly Church, Brooklyn. She enjoys writing works of inspiration. At the United Christian Assembly Church, she produced and directed three Black-History-Month performances. She is the proud parent of two amazing adult children. She lives by the motto: Live a life that matters, not just for yourself. Her performance in VOICES is her first public acting role.

The Author and Director

Eugene Pursoo

The author, Eugene Pursoo is a former United Nations Ambassador. He was a Distinguished Lecturer, and Director of International Education at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York.

Pursoo is the author of five novels, six plays, three documentaries, and one full-length movie. All of his works promote greater consciousness and tolerance. His literatures suggest that regardless of the cause of a problem, the primary onus to find solution rests with the victims.

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