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A Play Of Many Stripes At Leepa-Rattner
Cheryl Bentley/SUNCOAST
The Avenue Players Theatre will present "Zebras" in the form of a staged reading in costume on Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, in Tarpon Springs. Cast members include, from left, Charles Atkinson, Nicole Paris Williams, Lindsay Miller and Michael L. Silas.
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Published: January 24, 2009
Are zebras black with white stripes or white with black stripes?
That question formed the basis of "Zebras," a poem by Clearwater resident Richard J. Budin. The poem eventually turned into a play of the same name that focuses on President Thomas Jefferson's white and African-American descendants.
In 1998, DNA tests showed a male in Jefferson's line fathered at least one child of Sally Hemings, one of Jefferson's slaves also thought to have been of mixed racial heritage. A study concluded the father was most probably Thomas Jefferson.
That conclusion followed years of speculation that the third U.S. president was the father of Hemings' children. It began amid the political mudslinging during Jefferson's era and continued into modern times.
The Avenue Players Theatre will present the premiere of the stage version of "Zebras" Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art as part of Black History Month. The play will be in the form of a staged reading in costume.
"I felt it was a timely subject," said director Diana Forgione. "I decided to do it even before Obama won the election."
The 13 actors present the Jefferson-Hemings story in poetry beginning with Jefferson and Hemings and continuing with their white and African-American descendants through modern times. Actors are regional theater veterans.
"It's a very honest look at the story of Thomas Jefferson, rather than making it appear Jefferson was a saint," said actor Kimen Mitchell, who plays one of Jefferson's white descendants.
As well as being inspired by his poem "Zebras," playwright Budin was also spurred on by watching a musical love story about Hemings and Jefferson. "I thought there was more to it than that," he said.
He has written a number of plays, Budin noted. He is also an actor and former president of City Players in Clearwater.
As is customary with Avenue Players Theatre performances, "Talk Back," a conversation in which audience and cast share experiences of the performance, will be held after the play.
The lowdown
The Avenue Players will present a free performance of the play "Zebras," which deals with the much-speculated-upon relationship between Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemings, 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art. The museum is at the St. Petersburg College Tarpon Springs Campus, 600 Klosterman Road. Although there will be no charge for the performance, the organizers would appreciate if people planning to attend would make reservations so they could have a head count. Call 727-712-5762 for reservations.
Cheryl Bentley can be reached at 727-815-1069 cbentley@suncoastnews.com.
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