From Staff Reports
Though February is Black History Month, Black history in this country is also America’s history. And a transformative part of that history is integration. Pam Dudley has written a play called Breakfast that beautifully presents that difficult time.
Breakfast is an award-winning intergenerational historical drama about the first day of school integration in rural small-town Texas. With 17-year-old Cora at the center, a series of interconnected, two-person, one-act plays serve up the grits and grit of this fictional small town coming-of-age story.
Dudley is a past resident of 100W – Corsicana Artist and Writer Residency who came to Corsicana to research a story of integration in small Texas towns. She came for a 100W Residency and never left. Her research led to her play, Breakfast, which is inspired by the first day of school integration in Corsicana and her hometown of McGregor, Texas. In writing Breakfast, Pam sought to capture this part of history that will one day have no living witnesses. Her journey to Corsicana led to some surprising personal discoveries.
“I came to Corsicana to capture stories of integration, resilience, and perseverance in rural small-town Texas,” Dudley reflects. “I have a passion for history. It answers the questions, ‘What happened to you,’ and ‘How did we get here?’ I love capturing it, examining it, performing it, and learning and growing through exploring it. I think it’s dangerous to let the stories and lessons of history disappear. But, when people die, their untold stories die with them.
“I came to Corsicana to capture stories of integration, resilience, and perseverance in rural small-town Texas,” Dudley reflects. “I have a passion for history. It answers the questions, ‘What happened to you,’ and ‘How did we get here?’ I love capturing it, examining it, performing it, and learning and growing through exploring it. I think it’s dangerous to let the stories and lessons of history disappear. But, when people die, their untold stories die with them.”
“In my research here in Corsicana and Navarro County, I began tracing my own history. I knew my grandmother owned land in Brushie Prairie, but I traced my family back to my great, great, great, great (four) grandparents, and was uber-excited to find out they lived in Corsicana and walked the same ground I do! As far as I can tell, my family has owned acreage in Navarro County since at least 1883. I knew this town felt like home.”
The Warehouse Living Arts Center is delighted to support new play development through this premiere developmental performance of Breakfast. Breakfast premieres Tuesday, Feb. 23 at The WLAC. For the opening night performance, Susan Hale and Susan Wilson of Corsicana Artist and writer Residency will host the opening night post-performance reception.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 903- 872-5421, noon to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or on the website: www.theWLAC.com
PERFORMANCES:
7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 23 with a post-show audience reception
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Feb. 25 through Feb. 27
2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 with a post-show audience discussion
**no performances on Monday or Wednesday
