Victory Gardens Theater, an organization dedicated to developing and producing new plays and the home to more world-premiere mainstage productions than any other Chicago theater since 1974, has a real gem on its hands with its newest production, Shoes, written by Gloria Bond Clunie and directed by Andrea J. Dymond.
Both women, African-American, are Chicago residents, well-known in the theater circle and highly respected for their work. Clunie, who won the 2004 Theodore Ward African-American Playwriting Award for Sweet Water Taste and an original member of the Playwriting Ensemble at Victory Gardens Theater, explores the impact of a child's death and the impact that her tragic murder has on her family, church and community during the turbulent times of the civil-rights movement.
While not an historical account, Clunie says the play was inspired by the devastating 1963 Birmingham church bombing in which four young girls were killed.
'I had the opportunity to visit Birmingham and talk with individuals who were members of 16th Street Baptist Church during that time,' she said. 'I was greatly moved by their courage and insight and felt that the wisdom and strength forged their tragedy and the personal, community and national victories it led to, is a legacy we must continually reclaim.'
As the play opens, we meet Carol [ Linara Washington ] , a young, African-American girl whose daily prayer is that she receive her first pair of high-heeled shoes—her imagined gateway to adulthood. Washington is challenged in the role as she must convince the audience that she is 6, 10 and 14-years-old, the age at which she was killed. If for no other reason, this play is a must-see simply for the magical performance that Washington gives.
According to Dymond, Washington is definitely a talent to watch. 'We have a tremendous cast, like Ora Jones who plays the dead child's Mother [ Roberta ] but the lead role is certainly a demanding one,' Dymond said. 'And Linara [ Washington ] truly blossoms in this performance.'
After finding herself in heaven, following the bombing and without her newly acquired shoes, Carol ignores the wishes of her welcoming angel [ Cephus ] , skillfully played by Warren Jackson, and returns to earth to find out where they are and what has happened to her.
Exploring the meaning of faith and life and infused with both a poetic streak and the music that inspired African Americans during the civil-rights movement, Shoes is a play that should gain its place in the annals of Black theater. But it is more than just a play for Blacks. It's a piece that will cause one to question their own purpose in life and perhaps even provide a clue to perplexing questions about our world and humanity that often go unanswered.