The Naptown African American Theatre Collective (NAATC) brings kitchen conversations and family traditions to the stage in Zora Howard’s “Stew.”
Directed by LaKesha Lorene, “Stew” is the second show of the NAATC’s 2024-25 season, which is dedicated to “cementing the legacy” of Indianapolis’ first Black equity theater company. “Stew,” which premieres March 13 at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center, follows four generations of Tucker women as they come together to prepare a stew for a church event.
“When we thought about the season, and our theme of the season being ‘cementing our legacy,’ this play touches on that,” Lorene said. “There’s elements of food in the play, but it also is a more comedic-based play than we’ve done so far for NAATC, so I thought it would be really important to bring this play to this city.’”
“Stew” is a show that leans heavily into traditions passed down in Black families — something the NAATC believes is incredibly important “because everyone has them,” said Clarissa Todd, who is returning to the NAATC stage as “Nelly.”
Many Black families can relate to the Tucker women, who share conversations and conflict while in the kitchen cooking together. Tracy Nakigozi, who is making her NAATC debut as Li’l Mama, said the traditions explored within the play are ones she resonates with.
“My family and I would always make stew; we would always have these bantering, bickering conversations that are layered,” Nakigozi said. “That’s one thing that I hope audiences can truly relate to, despite their backgrounds. And I think it’s one really strong element within this play that I just loved.”
Todd and Nakigozi also love how relatable the characters and relationships are. One of the goals of the NAATC is to bring in shows where audiences can literally see themselves in the characters on stage — which means character-building is an incredibly instrumental portion of rehearsals, Lorene said.
“I have been 17 with an attitude and had to do something that I didn’t want to do, or had to have difficult conversations with my family, my sisters, my mother,” Todd said. “I’m still trying to navigate relationships in my family, and I feel like by doing this play, I am able to see how somebody else might have done it, and I’m able to connect my future and my present.”
For Nakigozi, she and her 12-year-old character Li’l Mama share many similarities, and she said their differences are what make the role complex as an actor. For instance, Nakigozi said she remembers being a pre-teen dealing with an attitude and drama but the quickness and sharpness of Li’l Mama’s behavior — from the way she walks to the way she talks — is something she has since outgrown.
“She’s going through that little beginning of the rough stage, so I don’t necessarily behave like that,” Nakigozi said. “It’s interesting to go back to that stage in your life that you could relate to, and then also kind of just explore other versions that you’ve never necessarily experienced.”
Each of the Tucker women is in a period of transition, and Lorene said the play navigates the unfamiliar and addresses traumas of the past to move forward in “a very interesting and intimate way.”
Beyond that, “Stew” addresses the topic of mental health, especially concerning Black women, Lorene added. The message of the matriarch or “Superwoman” who is responsible for all things carries a generational impact for Black women who are leaders.
“What they see affects who they become, and they can make many choices as far as who they want to become,” Lorene said. “I’m hopeful that people leave with kind of reflecting upon that within their own families and thinking of how they want to continue to move about their transition or continue to move about the world.”
“Stew” is onstage at the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center March 13-30. Tickets are $15 for students and $30 for adults. For more information, visit naatcinc.org/season.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe graduated with a degree in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and her previous work includes freelancing for Indy Maven, Assistant Arts & Life Editor for The Lantern, and editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Chloe enjoys covering all things arts and culture — from local music, visual art, dance, theater and film, as well as minority-owned businesses. In her free time, Chloe enjoys reading, cooking and keeping her plants alive.
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