A Gift From A Stranger presented by Mendicant Story Theatre

A Gift From A Stranger presented by Mendicant Story Theatre 

Written by Christopher T. "Amunubenheh" Brown (c) 2020

Directed by Almeta Whitis

note- all matinee shows for this production are offered at a lower ticket price of $12 in advance/$15 at the door.

Thurs, Aug 17 (7:30pm) - donation only- pay what you wish!  (dress rehearsal)

 Fri, Aug 18 (7:30pm) -      advance sales $17 adult/$12 student/senior 

                                                     at the door       $20/adult, $15 student/senior 

 Sat, Aug 19 (2:00pm matinee) - All tickets $12 advance, $15 at the door

 Sat, Aug 19 (7:30pm) - advance sales $17 adult/$12 student/senior 

                                              at the door       $20/adult, $15 student/senior 

 Sun, August 20 (2:00pm) - All tickets $12 advance, $15 at the door

 

ASL services TBD

Donations Also Accepted

A 2012, 19th Ward Rochester "sweet shoppe" encounter offers a healing via Ancient Kemet's "initiate story theater".

In 2020, Rochester Playwrights & Actors tasked local artists to write a 30-minute short play that included three prompts: a jukebox, a popsicle and the phrase "That's as good as it gets!" Almeta Whitis asked her elder son "Amunubenheh" Brown to write a script that she would direct. Inspired with the short play led him to expand it into full-length script w/o an intermission. 

The arc of this one-act play, set in a 2012 19th Ward Rochester "sweet shoppe", is grounded in Ancient Egypt's 42 Neters' core concept that teaches sacred beliefs in the form of "initiate story theater". An Ancient Kemeten/Egyptian back story tells of humankind's rebellion against the sun god RE in his old age and his subsequent unleashing punishment on them, delivered in the form of his newly created, powerful, lion-headed, fiery daughter, SEKHMET. 

Although the three contemporary characters appear to be everyday, ordinary neighborhood people - WHO they REALLY are, is much more than what meets the eye. . . 

 In this dramatic presentation, the "sweet shoppe" owner, Reginald Franklin represents the sun god RE/ATUM. Adrian Numenius Curlew is a neighborhood teen interested in learning African cultures - he represents HERU or HORUS - the personification of RE’s reason and compassion within his celestial mind. Heru was also the patron of young men, often described as "the perfect example of the dutiful son who grows up to become a just man". Sirena Domino represents ”she for whom evil trembles" - the all-powerful Goddess of Fire - SEKHMET - who comes to Earth to destroy humankind for their wickedness against her father RE and humankind's wanton disregard for the sacred principles of the "42 Neteru" ...The Divine Energies or Deities. 

As the story unfolds in 2012, we discover that Sirena Domino is a homeless, single woman who is living out of her car. She is bitter because of her circumstance. Yet, despite living out of her car, Sirena still dresses with style and her homeless status doesn’t take away from the fact that SHE is a gorgeous woman. By chance, Sirena finds herself lost inside Rochester's 19th Ward while heading WEST to California. She is on a mission to do something destructive, yet she doesn't remember why - only that she has to go! 

We do not know exactly what this reason is or why. Yet, we can assume that it is something that is going to kill a lot of people. Each show differs with the addition of a fourth character: The Audience. In Jerzy Grotowski's "Poor Theater" tradition, members will be invited to participate during each performance. There is also a Q&A to follow.    "A Gift from A Stranger" continues a 30-year-creative partnership between 19th Ward Rochester-born and raised playwright, screenwriter, award-winning poet, and "Blazing Concepts" founder, Christopher T. "Amunubenheh" Brown, and his "Mom", renowned master storyteller, multiple award-winning actor, performing arts master teaching artist, and published writer, Queen Mother Almeta Whitis. 

Her first commissioned full-length stage play "I Give You The Dawn", produced in partnership with RMSC, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and RCSD extols the beauty, strength, diverse character qualities, and fortitude of the Black Woman, shown through personas of five Great Queens of Africa, which debuted for five sold-out performances on Nazareth Arts Center Main Stage. In 1998, Brown's "Spotlight On Jonah Wade", presented from the perspective of a sensitive and "aware" Black youth with potential, reveals a seldom-seen side of the Black Man's inner psyche, while offering a foray into the social stigma of mental illness, and something we all experience - "feeling left out". 

It's full-length staging debut at RMSC's Eisenhart Auditorium to three sold-out performances, was the inaugural pairing with Whitis' Inner Voice Theatre Company, whose works were "a celebration and exploration of cultural diversity in our community". 

This 2023's staging partners Brown's West Coast Blazing Concepts Productions LLC with Whitis' fledgling Mendicant Story Theatre, which embraces and expands on their original concept view, which now includes film and interactive video shorts.

Cast List

Reginald Franklin/RE or ATUM - 

William Turner Sirena Domino - SEKHMET - 

Mrs. Niema Neteri-Atkins Adrian Numenius Curlew - HERU or Horus -TBD 

The Audience - Members will be invited to participate during each performance in Jerzy Grotowski's "Poor Theater" tradition.