ACT I – Unity Church/Harris House
ACT II – The “Coming Out” Ball
UNITY CHURCH SISTERS: James, Banks and Thomas lead the way in unfolding the story line. The plot is the plight of the Harris Family.
SISTER MARTHA convinces three women of the Unity Church to join her God-given project to reopen an abandoned school building as a center for the children of their community. Martha believes they can gather a youth group to raise the needed funds. She is certain help is at hand from a longtime friend. The Harris house is her first stop.
CLINTON HARRIS (Uncle Clinton) sits most days in his favorite spot (a well-worn recliner chair) waiting for NBC television anchorwoman Sue Simmons to broadcast the latest news. Clinton feels justified to sit and sip his favorite brew whenever he cares to since being dumped from a job of thirty years. An unexpected visitor becomes his eye opener.
LOTTIE HARRIS (Clinton’s sister) has spun her own web of discontent. She is a welfare recipient who claims the system is keeping her down and is the cause of the hardship she has endured raising her two children. Lottie’s constant complaint is stuck on sick and tired of being sick and tired. An unexpected vision turns her lamentation into a purpose with a plan.
REGGIE HARRIS (teen) is streetwise, so he claims. He believes he is the man of the house and commander of his crowd of cohorts. Reggie raises havoc in the community to vent his own frustration with acute defiance and steadfast rebellion against his mother, elevated by the anger he carries of not knowing his father.
DARLENE HARRIS (teen) is caught in the mix of ongoing warfare between her mother and brother. From the criticism of Uncle Clinton and disregard of her feelings from her mother, Darlene creates her own world with a new name and a new attitude of mix and match fashion flair. Everything can change.
JUNIOR (Reggie’s side kick) is Darlene’s latest heartthrob and a constant annoyance to Uncle Clinton.
MONTY JOHNSON (Lottie’s on again off again manfriend) is the missing link. Reggie is unaware that Monty is his father until the time comes for a broken promise to come to light. This relationship is hard fought to the bitter end.
ALTERNATING STREET GANG (4 teen boys) companions in the street crime and community chaos at the command of Reggie Harris.
ACTORS / CHARACTER PORTRAYALS
*as Sister James*
Joyce Jordan
M. Drue Williams
Shirley Crosson
Susie W. Craig
Velma Banks
*as Sister Martha*
Kim Yancey
Linda Ransom
Louise Bethune
Queen Esther Marrow
Reschke Ferrell
Vanessa Williams
*as Darlene*
Cassandra Balant
Faybell Mahee
India Faison
Janae Jordan
Michelle Wiggs
Sophia Witherspoon
*as Sister Banks*
Izora Armstead
Katie Hicks
Marcia McBroom
Shaun Cooper
Tanya Maryoung
Thelma McGarrah
*as Clinton Harris*
Andrew Reynolds Cooksey
Edward Sewer, III
Elbert Palmer
*as Junior*
Edward Vargas
Kenneth Glover, Jr.
Romar Freeland
Troy Liddell
*as Sister Thomas*
Antoinette Boone
Carol Marie Weaver
Hazel Rosetta Smith
Laura B. Thomas
Lee Cooper
*as Reggie Harris*
Anthony Jarrett
Calvin O. Butts, IV
Mark R. McKinley
Veron Larrow, Jr.
William Plant
*as Monty Johnson*
Marcial Howard
D. J. Welcome
Pedro E. Herrera
Alvin Freeland
Miles J. Davis
*as Lottie Harris*
Annette Evans
*as Alternating Street Gang*
Alexander Butts
Anthony Jarrett
Arnyel Celestine
Bobby John
Bryant Adams
Brent Lowe
Courtney Helper
Darryl Sapp, Jr.
Dimitrius Collins
Guy Parks
Jamel Allen
Mark McKinley
Otis Brown
Veron Larrow
MUSICAL SCORE - 9 Original Songs
Music Composed & Directed by Lucille Gaita
Lyric by Hazel Rosetta Smith
“Hallelujah, Anyhow”
“My Lord, We’ve Got to Save the Children”
“Ain’t No Use to Be”
“Don’t Let it Go Around”
“Why”
“Rise on Up”
“Sick & Tired”
“I Know How You Feel”
“Time for Coming Out”
*TFCO Alternating MUSICIANS*
Lucille Gaita (Composer/Keyboard)
Robin Hoffman (Bass)
Doreen Holmes (Drums)
Pat Cuttitta (Drums)
Berniece Brooks (Drums)
Paul Mortise (Drums)
Tony Stevenson (Bass)
SPECIAL BENEFIT PERFORMANCES – 1987 thru 2000
Bank Street College, 112th Street & Broadway, NYC
Thursday, June 25 thru Saturday, August 29, 1987
(Thursdays& Fridays at 7:30 p.m. – Saturdays at 3:00& 7:30 pm.)
Billie Holiday Theatre, Restoration Plaza Fulton Street, Brooklyn
Friday, September 25 thru Sunday, October 18, 1987
September 25, 26, 27- Oct. 2,3,4 – Oct. 9, 10, 11 – Oct. 16, 17, 18
(Fridays at 7:30 – Saturdays at 3:00 & 7:30 p.m. – Sundays at 2:00 p.m.)
Harlem Temple Corps Auditorium– 540 Lenox Avenue NYC
Saturday, January 7, 1989 (1:00& 5:00 p.m.)
Trinity School Auditorium, 101 West 92nd Street, NYC
Saturday, July 14, 1990(1:00 and 5:00 p.m.)
Passaic County Community College Theatre, Paterson, NJ
Saturday, May 12, 1990(2:00 p.m.)
Trinity School Chapel, 139 West 91st Street, NYC
Saturday, February 18, 1989(1:00 & 5:00 p.m.)
Salvation Army Community Center, 175 E.125th Street, NYC
Saturday, January 21, 1989 (1:00& 5:00 p.m.)
West Presbyterian Church, W. 105th Street & Amsterdam Avenue NYC
Saturday, February 4, 1989 (1:00 p.m.)
Manhattan Theatre of Riverside Church, 91 Claremont Avenue, NYC
July 1,2 – July 8,9 – July 15,16 – July 22, 23 – July 29& 30, 1989
August 5,6 – August 12,13 – August 19, 20 – August 26,27
(Saturdays at 7:00 p.m.& Sundays at 4:00 p.m.)
Borough of Manhattan Community College – 199 Chambers Street, NYC
December 2, 1990at 6:00 p.m. KWANZAA HOLIDAY EXPO
Glad Tidings Tabernacle -325 West 33rd Street, NYC
Thursday, March 23 thru Sunday, March 26, 2000
(Thurs. – 7:30 p.m.)(Fri. – 7:30 p.m.) (Sat. – 4:00 & 8:00 p.m.) (Sun.- 6:00 p.m.)
Set Design by Ron Walker & HSTM
Formal Attire Designed by KRISS KROSS, INC.
Blue & Black Tuxedos Courtesy of Men’s Warehouse, NYC
Archive Photos by Reggie Jordan & Gerald Peart