A hero’s journey is marked by a few key components. The call to adventure, a meeting of the minds with a seasoned mentor or elder, a host of trials and moments of uncertainty which ultimately lead to an arduous journey resulting in both reward and resurrection. It’s a tale as old as time but the Phoenix Theatre’s upcoming production of Nathan Alan Davis’ play “Dontrell Who Kissed the Sea” breathes new life into this tried and true archetype through the perspective of an inquisitive, intelligent and unorthodox young Black man named Dontrell.
The production which stars Franklin College student Eli Curry, 22, in the title role, and Indianapolis theatre veteran Milicent Wright as his mother, presents the journey of 18-year-old Dontrell, a high school graduate who has recently been accepted into one of the most prestigious universities in the country. The play follows as he rebels against the norm, falls in love, and attempts to reconcile his ancestral past despite familial turmoil and internal adversity in a world set against a hauntingly lucid, nautical landscape.
Davis, the playwright and an alumnus of the masters of fine arts program at Indiana University in Bloomington, created the production while he was a student there. “I began my career in theatre as an actor and acted professionally in Chicago for five to six years,” said the 35-year-old writer, adding that he was also involved in poetry and spoken word.
“When I started writing plays I didn’t know quite what I was doing,” he laughed. On “Dontrell,” he said the story evolved gradually. “I had the idea of writing my own version of the hero’s quest,” he said. “I had the fantastical idea of writing the story of a character going on a quest to find a long lost ancestor.”
Since the play’s initial 2013 debut on the campus of Indiana University, it has toured around the country to rave reviews. In March of this year it was featured as a Critic’s Choice by the Los Angeles Times and Susan Birrell of Discover Hollywood Magazine described it as “a theatrical experience that transcends all cultures. It is universal in scope, storytelling at its finest.”
More recently, “Dontrell” was selected as one of six finalists by The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) for the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award.
Curry, who will be making his second appearance at the Phoenix, said he feels the story of “Dontrell” will resonate with viewers on a personal level. “It’s about a child’s vision and more specifically it’s about what happens when your vision comes at odds with the people who know you best,” he said. It’s about someone who is trying to break new ground and express themselves.”
Wright, who was recently honored by the Center for Leadership Development for her contributions to the local arts community, shared those sentiments. “This is a bigger than life picture that connects on a higher level for those who are interested in connecting their past, present, and future,” she said. “It has an extremely positive pitch toward a young African-American male looking at his future while not neglecting his past and understanding he needs both in his life.”
Go See the Show!
What: “Dontrell Who Kissed the Sea”
Where: Phoenix Theatre, 749 N. Park Ave.
When: April 9 – 26
To buy tickets, call (317) 635-7529 or visit Phoenixtheatre.org.
Think and Drink
Via Phoenix Theatre: On April 13 from 5:30-8 p.m., Nathan Alan Davis and cast-members will kick off the 2015 “Think and Drink” series at Sun King Brewery, 135 N. College Ave.
This event, subtitled “Think and Drink: Brews, Beats, and Rhymes,” will feature Tatjana Rebelle (host of Lingo and Vocab). This event also features some of the top beat poets and spoken word artists who will perform with attendees and Sun King employees to create and spit their own rhymes.
DJ Kyle Long will spin an eclectic fusion of international music throughout the evening.
Donations will be taken at the door to benefit the Starfish Initiative.
