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Family ties blend with social commentary onstage Funerals are not generally looked upon as great sources of hilarity. But in “Chicken and Biscuits,” the new socially conscious play by Douglas Lyons, the laughs come steadily, beginning with a series of vignettes that introduce the characters and help set the relationships, and continuing through the service itself. For all its comic moments, of which there are plenty, the play, now being performed at Queens Theatre through March 22, offers serious commentaries on a wide variety of issues, among them the roles that women of color play in society; the importance of
‘Chicken and Biscuits’ When: Through Sun., March 22 Where: Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. South, Flushing Meadows Corona Park Tickets: $25; $22.50 seniors, students. (718) 760-0064, queenstheatre.org
learning to accept others (as well as oneself) as they are; and the racial and sexual prejudices that still abound. It also explores how it feels to live in an oppressive society; what it means to be single after a certain age; the pitfalls of miscommunication; the realization that we sometimes don’t really know even those who are closest to us; and the importance of learning where true happiness lies. Each of these themes, and others, surfaces during the play’s breezy 95-minute running time, some more profoundly than others. But almost without exception they are handled with humor and humanity. All the characters except one are African Americans, the majority of them women. A note in the program indicates that Lyons felt compelled to write the play to honor the black women in his own family. “I firmly believe black women carry a rare magic that’s often overshadowed by narratives of oppression and stereotypes based in perception, not truth,” he says. The play, he concludes, is dedicated to the multilayered beauty of black life. It focuses on Baneatta (Jennifer Fouché) and her sister Beverly (Ebony Mar-
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story progresses, coming to a head with the surprise appearance of a relative who turns up late in the proceedings. As directed by Zhailon Levingston, each actor fully inhabits his or her character, whether emoting dramatically or uttering a barely audible aside. continued on page 31
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shall-Oliver), who attempt to put their differences aside when they come together to bury their father, Bernard. Also featured significantly are several other members of their family, each of whom has a strong, distinct personality. Fireworks seem inevitable from the outset and things only get more complicated as the
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Baneatta (Jennifer Fouché), left, Simone (Alana Raquel Bowers), La’trice (Aigner Mizzelle), Beverly (Ebony Marshall-Oliver), Kenny (Josh Adam Ramos) and Logan (Brendan Ellis) are moved by the sermon given by Reginald (Robert G. McKay) in DOMINICK TOTINO PHOTOGRAPHY “Chicken and Biscuits” at Queens Theatre.
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Page 27 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 5, 2020
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