That which does not kill us, makes us stronger. No other phrase illustrates the resilience of the human spirit quite as well as this one penned by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche more than 200 years ago.
Quite fittingly, the famed quote inspired the similarly phrased title of playwright Nicole Kearney’s production “What Doesn’t Kill Us Only Makes Us Stronger.”
The play, which can be seen on March 28 at 7:30 p.m. and March 29 at 3 and 7:30 p.m. at the Unleavened Bread Café, 3001 Central Ave., will present the stories of men and women who have survived a multitude of personal hardships including domestic violence, childhood abuse, neglect, abortion and more.
“These are stories of strength, survival, and of hope,” said Kearney. “We deal with a wide gamut of stories and many of them will touch someone’s life.”
Kearney, a New Jersey native, began her journey as a writer more than 15 years ago. “I started as a poet, as many writers do – then I moved into short stories,” said Kearney.
She went on to become a published author and parlayed that experience into playwriting. “The first play I wrote was really long and unwieldy,” laughed Kearney, while reflecting on her first piece, which focused on the story of slain teen Emmitt Till.
She was encouraged by a mentor to “clean it up.” That cleaning led to a five-year journey of learning and development.
Eventually Kearney saw her first piece on Till produced as a four-act play dealing with the impact of youth on the civil rights movement, live at the historic Karamu House Theater in Cleveland. Since then she has gone on to showcase her work at theaters across the nation, including stops in Chicago and New York City.
“What Doesn’t Kill Us …,” which originally began as a published collection of short stories, was inspired by interviews conducted with victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. “There’s a lot that we don’t want to talk about in terms of struggle and survival in the Black community,” said Kearney.
Inspired by the interviewee’s individual tales of triumph, the veteran playwright infused her own life experiences to create her latest work. “At the root of each story is an element that is autobiographical,” said Kearney.
One such story is told from the perspective of “What Doesn’t Kill Us …,” characters Renee and Malik, a married couple who are confronted with a difficult choice when Malik’s wife receives a very sudden diagnosis of stage 3 breast cancer.
Renee, a 49-year-old woman who has raised all her children and recently finished her first degree is prepared to start a new chapter when she finds herself lying on an operating table, unconscious. “Her husband actually makes the decision for her breasts to be removed,” said Kearney. The true story, inspired by Kearney’s own mother and father, details challenges the couple faced post-mastectomy.
Kearney hopes “What Doesn’t Kill Us …,” will provide audiences with an opportunity to reflect on their own unique journeys and life experiences through healing and laughter.
For more information on “What Doesn’t Kill Us Only Makes Us Stronger,” visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
