Gee's Bend

The Ensemble Theatre's 2010-2011 Season is sponsored in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and Texas Commission on the Arts. Continental Airlines is the exclusive airline sponsor for The Ensemble Theatre. This production is generously underwritten by Spectra Energy.

The Ensemble Theatre was founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins to preserve African American artistic expression and to enlighten, entertain, and enrich a diverse community. Thirty-four years later, the theatre has evolved from a touring company operating from the trunk of Mr. Hawkins' car to being one of Houston's finest historical cultural institutions. The Ensemble is one of a few professional theatres in the region dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience. The oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, it holds the distinction of being one of the nation's largest African American theatres owning and operating its facility and producing in-house. Board President Emeritus Audrey Lawson led the capital campaign for The Ensemble's $4.5 million building renovations that concluded in 1997. The Ensemble Theatre has fulfilled and surpassed the vision of its founder and continues to expand and create innovative programs to bring African American theatre to a myriad of audiences.

Sadie attempts to drink from the water fountain in a scene from GEE'S BEND, an Ensemble Theatre production. Photo courtesy of the Ensemble Theatre.

The Ensemble Theatre Stitches in the New Year With 'Gee's Bend'

Based on the Lives of the Pettaway Women Whose Quilts Are a Nationally Recognized Contribution to American Folk Art

HOUSTON, Jan. 11, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ensemble Theatre celebrates Black History Month with its production of 'Gee's Bend' by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder. Opening night and media reception held, Thursday, February 3, 2011, 6:30 p.m.

"I spent a year researching the women of Gee's Bend and their fascinating quilt work," says Wilder. "My entire being was deeply moved by the thought of how such beautiful art has been preserved for generations through all this tiny isolated town had experienced."

'Gee's Bend' is based on the lives of the Pettaway women, descendents of former slaves owned by Joseph Gee and Mark Pettaway. The play follows Alice, her daughters Sadie and Nella, and Sadie's husband, Macon, through the old south Jim Crow laws of segregation, family strife and the Civil Rights movement. These women found a sense of reprieve through quilting and the expression of their spirituality through the organic rhythms of harmonized gospel.

Director Elizabeth Van Dyke is making her return to The Ensemble Theatre where the last two productions she directed were 'Waiting to be Invited' and 'A Raisin in the Sun.'

"History weaves unique experiences in and out of our lives that give birth to rich and inspiring stories," says Van Dyke. "Gee's Bend patches together experiences of love, toil, and perseverance, then beautifully stitches them together with the comfort of soothing gospel hymns."

Previews: January 29, 30, and February 2, 2011 Show Run: February 3 � February 27, 2011.

Performances: Thursdays: 7:30 p.m.; Fridays: 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays: 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays: 3:00 p.m.

'Gee's Bend' was first presented through a reading at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in 2006. Later that year it was commissioned by the Denver Center Theatre Company where the completed production was developed. Wilder has won the 2008 M. Elizabeth Osborn New Play Award for an emerging playwright for 'Gee's Bend.'

Featured actors include: Kendrick Brown, Teacake Ferguson, Michelle Harper, and Detria Ward.

The Ensemble Theatre was founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins to preserve African American artistic expression and to enlighten, entertain, and enrich a diverse community. The theatre is known as the only professional theatre in its region dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience. In addition to being the oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, it also holds the distinction of being one of the nation's largest African American theatres that owns and operates its facility with an in-house production team. Board President Emeritus Audrey Lawson led the capital campaign for The Ensemble's $4.5 million building renovations that concluded in 1997.

Sadie, Nella and their mother Alice make and sell their quilts in a scene from GEE'S BEND, an Ensemble Theatre production. Photo courtesy of the Ensemble Theatre.

Have you ever wondered what heaven is like? For me, heaven would be a beautiful, peaceful moonlit night filled with lots of stars. I would be looking up at the star-studded sky and marvel at the beauty of each star brilliantly shining in its own light. One of the stars in this evening�s performance of Gee�s Bend is Florence Garvey. Ms. Garvey is very excited about her role in Gee�s Bend. She has recently returned home to Houston from New York City. She was a company member of the Galli Fairytale Theater starring in shows such as The Frog Prince and Rumpelstiltskin. She was also in Chekhov�s Happy Hour as Wonder Woman. Other roles include �Lady in Blue� in for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf, �Laveer Swann� in A Long Time since Yesterday, �Claire Dowie� in her one-woman show entitled Why is John Lennon Wearing a Skirt. Her recent role was �Cheryl Washington� in The Ensemble Theatre�s production of Stick Fly (one of The Houston Chronicle�s �Top Plays of 2010�).

Theresa: I remember your performance in STICK FLY. You were the main character in that show.

Theresa: That�s right, you were the hidden character. And I enjoyed that very much because your performance is so memorable. Now for tonight, you are performing a character in GEE�S BEND. Tell us about the play�..

Florence: GEE�S BEND is a story about family and strength through the decades. It�s based in Gee�s Bend, Alabama which is like a peninsula. It is surrounded by the Alabama River so it�s really, really segregated. Modern technology, even in the �30s, the simple things that everyone had like hospitals or stores, they had to go all the way into town. The crazy thing was they used to have this ferry and the ferry was their only way into Camden it would be just like a 5-minute ride.

But after the Civil Rights Movement when Martin Luther King came and was telling them, �You know, you may only have one dress but you are somebody.� And they went over and they marched over on the bridge on Bloody Sunday and then they took the ferry away. So they became even more segregated. But in essence they were so much happier because people left them alone. They were peaceful. They loved that river, you know? A lot of people are scared of that river but Gee�s Bend people found God in that river. There�s a theme in the play where they get baptized and they were always talking about taking the journey safely across that river. Once you cross that river, you�re going into a town where there is violence and anger. And they didn�t have a lot of violence and anger in Gee�s Bend. They were happy. They were very POOR! Joyful, POOR, loving, so poor people. But they were blessed in their eyes.

Florence: So, there are three sections. The first section is 1939 and Sadie�s 15 years old, her sister�s 18, and her mom is about 40. And then after I meet my husband and we start a new life, it jumps to 1965.

Florence. 3 generations. It jumps to 1965 when I�m about 40. I have a dream about Martin Luther King and I go to march for Martin Luther King. I get in all kinds of trouble, you know because I really believe in the Civil Rights Movement. And then the play jumps to 2002��

Florence: When I�m 77 years old. Our quilts have been discovered because we have been making quilts the whole time, over all those years. And when the quilts get discovered, they take them to the museums. All of a sudden the quilts sell for $25,000 a piece. So they go from being completely poor, only believing in God to now their quilts have made this town so famous.

Sadie and her sister Nella in a scene from GEE'S BEND, an Ensemble Theatre production. Photo courtesy of the Ensemble Theatre.

Florence: I play Sadie. She is optimistic, so optimistic, such an extrovert. She is very loving and she follows her spirit. She is one of those people you meet and she gives you a hug and invites you inside the house. �And everything is just gonna be fine! Don�t worry that maybe going on, but let me make you a pie! And we�re gonna have a good ol� time. We may not have anything but we�re gonna make these quilts and we�re gonna sing our song.�

Florence: She is the main character. You follow her journey from when she first gets baptized. She starts to follow our Christ. Then, she gets married. She loves her family and she loves her town. And if it was her way, that ferry would never come back. Because when the ferry�s coming, yes we can go over there, but no, they can come over here. And they may change everything. You see, she�s the kind of person who leaves her doors open all the time. Even in 2002, she is still going to leave that door open because she believes that if you leave your door open for people, they will leave their door open for you.

Florence: Oh, by the grace of God. I was called in maybe before 3 or 4 days before rehearsal started because they were looking for an understudy. They were looking for an understudy who could actually come in and they said that you may perform. I actually got to perform for a whole week.

Theresa: Oh wow, so tonight you�re actually performing as an understudy for the main character? That�s pretty amazing. You�re amazing. I want to know more about you. Please tell us about your background�.

Florence: I was born in Houston. I was raised in the Southwest side of Houston and I went to Ridgemont Elementary, McCullough Middle School and High School here in Houston. I went to Prairie View A&M University and that�s where I studied Theatre Arts. I did a lot of shows, one-woman shows back in undergrad. Then I moved to New York for about two and a half years. I worked in New York. I didn�t make it to Broadway, but I did some Off-Broadway things. I did Fairytale Theater, and some spots where they called me to replace somebody for two nights and I came in. And then I moved back to Houston and I was cast as Cheryl in STICK FLY which was my debut at the Ensemble Theatre which was an amazing role.

Theresa: Oh, I totally agree. When I first saw you tonight, I immediately thought of Cheryl Washington in STICK FLY. It was a great performance. So, you�ve just come back to Houston recently?

Florence: I�ve been back for about two and a half years, it just kind of flies by.

Florence: HOPE in the unknown and FAITH. Just knowing that things may not always look good but with God on your side, they will end up being good.

Theresa: Wonderful. What would you like to say to the Houston theatre-going audience?

Florence: It�s a beautiful show. The lights are beautiful, the music is perfect and the cast is amazing. So, don�t miss it!

Theresa: Another star brilliantly shining her light this evening is Detria Ward. Detria is a native Houstonian and BFA theatre graduate of Texas Southern University. She is a member of St. Luke Evangelist Episcopal Church and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. After 15 years of dedicated service with KTSU�s 90.9 FM, Detria accepted the request to be general manager of Matthew Knowles, CEO of Music World Entertainment Management (and home of Beyonce and Destiny�s Child) where she remained until 2004. She was associate producer of the musical touring stage play, Will a Real Man Please Stand Up starring Johnny Gill, Sean Lavert, Michelle Williams and Malik Yoba. As an actress, Detria�s stage performances include most recently The Waiting Room, America Menu and Constant Star. She is the proud four-time recipient of the prestigious Giorgee Award most recently for Best Ensemble for American Menu. Always excited to be on the Ensemble stage, she currently works at Texas Southern University and occasionally serves as a guest director for the TSU Players.

Theresa (to Detria): I saw you on American Menu and you were my favorite character there.

Theresa: I saw you perform in Constant Star. You were awesome there also. Tell us about the part that you�re playing in Gee�s Bend.

Detria: Actually I have dual parts. I begin as Alice, the mother of Sadie and Nella. And then as the play progresses in time, it moves forward. By the end, on the second half of the show, I turn and play Asia who�s actually the daughter of Sadie. The play starts in 1939 and ends in 2002. So as time goes on, that switch occurs.

Detria: I was born in Houston. I have Louisiana roots as far as my family. I still go back and forth. I am a graduate of Texas Southern University with a BFA in Theatre. Actually I�ve been acting since elementary. When I was in elementary school, I was in every single program offered in school. From there I went to high school, competitions and so forth and then at TSU. And right after I graduated from Texas Southern, I immediately auditioned and wanted to be a part of the Ensemble family. So I immediately jumped right into the Ensemble Theatre when it was a little bitty box theater at 1010 Tuam and I go that far back as far as the theatre. And here I am.

Theresa: Right. I also remember you in The Waiting Room and you were hilarious. You are so versatile as an actress. You can do a very serious role, in the case of Constant Star. But then you can also do comedy, as a crazy woman�..

Women from Gee's Bend work on a quilt during the 2005 ONB Magic City Art Connection in Birmingham, Alabama - photo copyright Andre Natta on Flickr.

Theresa: What would you like the audience to gain from watching this play Gee�s Bend?

Detria: Oh my. There is so much to gain that I couldn�t possibly answer it in one sentence. I want them to respect that the Ensemble Theatre continues to bring great work that all of Houston can be very proud of. I want them to remember from whence they have come as it relates to Gee�s Bend and the things that occurred back in 1939 and 1965. Have a respect for where we as a people, all people are today. And just never forget the past and move towards the future.

Detria: Gee�s Bend is an awesome show. Because it is about the women of Gee�s Bend and the fact that their quilts became so famous, it�s a miracle precious way of living as being their way of survival and to keep them warm, to keep their families warm. To practically come from there to be works of Art in a Museum is Ensemble�s participation in spreading the word about that. And the local quilters here in Houston coming together and allowing us to display their works that you can see here in the lobby. It is just beautiful.

Detria: And we actually use some of the quilts in the play. So there is so much to be gained from participating with the show.

Detria: She is not from here so I was very interested in working with a guest director. I didn�t have a lot of clues as to how she works and as to how she functions as a director. But she�s very deep. She did a lot of research so she was really able to inspire the cast to get deep into the works of what occurred in Gee�s Bend, which makes you deeper into your character, which makes you understand your character better. I am grateful to her for that. Different people bring different things to the table. But her depth is just fantastic.

Theresa: What type of research did you have to do to be able to play the characters you play in Gee�s Bend?

Detria: We have a dramaturg who came in so fortunately we did not have to do it all ourselves. But we have a board (Ensemble Theatre Board Directors) that is still in existence that is always there to refresh your memory when you ask why. We have pictures from those times. We have articles from those times. We had discussions of all those times so we were fortunate enough to have all of that brought to the table for us. We even had one of the major quilters here in Houston to show us come and actually give us a quilting class. So we got to experience what they went through and what quilters do. To me, it�s extremely tedious. I can�t imagine. So that�s what they do. They got into what they had to do and they sang while they did it. So it�s great learning how a quilt is actually done. So, there are so many plusses to being in this show and sharing the story of the Gee�s Bend women with the audience. These are real people, pretty much a true story. You don�t get a lot of those so I think it�s awesome.

Kendrick Brown played Cecil Jr. in Christmas with Great Aunt. In GEE'S BEND, Kay plays Macon Pettaway for the 2011 Ensemble Theatre Production.

Theresa: And now another shining star, the stud of this star-studded event Kendrick �Kay� Brown who plays Macon the only male character in Gee�s Bend. Kay was born in Shreveport, Louisiana but raised in Houston. Kendrick has had the privilege of performing in many theatrical productions such as Cinderella, Stick Fly, Christmas With Great Aunt, Livin� Fat, The Toilet (NYC), Blue, One Monkey Don�t Stop No Show (Giorgee Award), A Lesson Before Dying and many others. Kay is also the artistic director and co-founder of the Black Box Theatre Group www.theblackboxtheatre.org a theatre company geared towards introducing a higher grade of theatre production through service learning and implementation, becoming a center of education, culture, and contribution.

Kendrick: (Laughs) yeah, this and all the extra hair on top. This is not me. This is not how I am before this started. This is not my style.

Theresa: I�ve seen you in Stick Fly, in Livin� Fat and Christmas with Great Aunt. It�s so funny because I remember you looking much younger before. So I guess you play an older gentleman here in Gee�s Bend.

Kendrick: Yes I do. I progress from the age of twenty-five to the age of fifty-one.

Kendrick: The part that I�m playing is a character named Macon Pettaway. He is from Alabama roots. He is a sharecropper and he owns his own land. And he is very, very, very proud of that. He grew up with the mind set that he didn�t want to have to take handouts from anybody because of experiences he dealt with as a younger adolescent child. He becomes Sadie�s husband and we go through the journey from the Depression to the Civil Rights Movement to the New Millennium. I deal with the problems that a relationship goes through as far as somebody wanting to do something so much that the other person opposing it because of what it could cause. That is what makes it such an interesting character.

Kendrick: No I don�t. I actually oppose it. You know, because of the things that could happen. You see the Civil Rights Movement, yes I want to be there and see what really goes on. But do you really want to see what goes on? What if it goes on and you become a part of it? And it�s not the side that you want to be a part of. He has that mind set of wanting her to stay home because she has her family to think about. This is our family, our home that we built, you know things like that.

Sadie comforts her husband Macon in a scene from GEE'S BEND, an Ensemble Theatre production. Photo courtesy of the Ensemble Theatre.

Kendrick: Audition process. They have auditions in the summer time. They have the callbacks. I think we have a couple of callbacks actually. And they happened to call me to tell me that I received the role.

Kendrick: Yes, we all do sing. Yes ma�am. I wouldn�t call myself a singer but we do sing in this play (laughs).

Kendrick: I was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. But I was raised in Houston. I�ve been here ever since 1993. So, I went through high school but I didn�t do theatre. I was a football person. Yes, I played football and all that. By the eleventh grade, I had to take a Fine Arts class and ever since then is when I became a theatre lover; a thespian, so to speak. And then after I graduated from high school, I went to Prairie View A&M, I studied and got my BA in Drama under Celie Turner. From there, right after I graduated in �06 I auditioned for the Ensemble and I�ve been here since �06. And I�m very proud to be here.

Theresa: And we�re happy to see you on the Ensemble stage. All the characters you play are very entertaining.

Kendrick: A sense of history. What�s behind from whence we�ve came from. All the things we have to deal with until now, seeing the generation has totally changed. The mind sets have totally flipped. Maybe just appreciate all that had to go in for you to act the way you act now, to deserve what we have now. The sense of family and humbleness, just being able to enjoy each other; understanding that family, sometimes, is all you have. Hold on to it.

Theresa: Since the character you are playing here is a much older character, what kind of research did you have to do to be able to play Macon Pettaway?

Kendrick: We had the help of the dramaturg and the director Elizabeth Van Dyke, she brought in so many things. She researched so much and had a lot to offer us as far as books, websites and pictures. Like the pictures here, we have a hallway full of pictures. I have some in my dressing room that I can sit down and look at and prepare. You Tube has a lot of great things, Google, everything, the internet, search engines. And you know, just a lot of history.

Kendrick: Come see the show! I really think it�s something that you will enjoy. You�ll appreciate it, go home and maybe sing some of the songs. You�ll never know.

Theresa: One other star of the show I did not get to interview is Teacake who plays Nella, Sadie�s sister. Teacake has an amazing voice. She is one gospel singer you would not want to miss. Teacake has been mesmerizing audiences for many years as a singer, dancer, model and actress both locally and internationally. She is happy to be back home after a two-year tour with Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. She was recently seen in the hit holiday musical Cinderella where she played the title role of Cinderella. Her theatre credits include Ain�t Misbehaving (Charlaine), One Mo� Time (Thelma), Dreamgirls (Deena), Little Shop of Horrors (Chiffon) just to name a few. She played Muriel in Plaza Suite where she was nominated for Best Actress of the Year 2003 at the O�Kane Theatre. In One Monkey Don�t Stop No Show, she played Beverly where she was nominated for the Giorgee Award for Best Supporting Actress. Teacake is the founder and CEO of Artistik Minds Group teaching fine arts to children ages 4 to adults. Visit www.artistikmg.com for more info. For her schedule of performances, visit www.teacakeworld.com

With the rich history of Gee�s Bend, Alabama and the artistic quality of the quilts and the lyrical spirit of the gospel music, the play GEE�S BEND took on a three-dimensional form. We thank the playwright Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder and the Ensemble Theatre for bringing the story of GEE�S BEND to the city of Houston.

I walk out of the theatre, culturally enriched with the music, emotional story and history of Gee�s Bend. I walk out into the lobby and am greeted with the brightest stars of the evening. There were quilts, more quilts and even more quilts. Now I was admiring these same quilts before I saw the play. But after seeing Gee�s Bend, it was as if the quilts each had a mind of its own. Each quilt filled with its own colors and geometric shapes took on its own individual personality. As I look at all the quilts, it was as if I am looking at the brightest stars in this glorious evening sky. And that is why, to me, GEE�S BEND will always be a little piece of heaven.

Where:	The Ensemble Theatre
	3535 Main St.
	Houston, TX 77002
	713-520-0055
	http://www.ensemblehouston.com/

Who/What:	Gee's Bend celebrates the resilience of the human spirit. It's based on the true story of the women of Gee's Bend, Alabama and the discovery of their quilts, now highly regarded American folk art, which The New York Times called "some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced."
	The infusion of southern gospel hymns provides the background where these women use quilting to provide comfort, and to bring context to their lives. They survive segregation, family turmoil, and the Civil Rights Movement, one stitch at a time.

Show Run:	February 3 - February 27, 2011
	Thursdays:	7:30 p.m.
	Fridays:	8:00 p.m.
	Saturdays:	2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
	Sundays:	3:00 p.m.

The Ensemble Theatre Presents Gee's Bend by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder

The Ensemble Theatre Stitches in the New Year With 'Gee's Bend'

Based on the Lives of the Pettaway Women Whose Quilts Are a Nationally Recognized Contribution to American Folk Art