Blackberries, Blackberries Stage Adaptation

By Dr. Ritta Abell

Crystal Wilkinson's book, Blackberries, Blackberries, and meeting hr when she attended MSU faculty orientation in 2006, inspired me to share her book through the visual arts. When I read the book, it demonstrated the lives of Black men, women and children in Appalachia, Ky. These short stories enlighten the community through vignettes, showing diversity among Black families and relationships in eastern Kentucky, the region and the state. This artistic freedom exposes the richness that abounds in Applachia and in Black family life, allowing individuals to realize thre is more to life in Kentucky than horses, tobacco, bourbon and UK basketball. Differences in political views, urban Appalachian experiences and spirituality are also evident throughout this artistic expression of Black family life in rural Kentucky.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 22, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477255698

Dr. Ritta Abell

Ritta Ridley Abell, Ph.D. Dr. Ritta Abell, assistant professor in the Communication, Media and Leadership Studies Dept. is an alumna from Morehead State University, receiving her B.A. and M. A. from here and her Ph.D. from University of Kentucky. Dr. Abell, a Louisvillian native has taught at several institutions, Ivy Tech Community College, Spalding and Northwood University teaching such courses as interpersonal communication English, Small Groups Communication and Public Speaking she has also worked in many administrative capacities for over 28 years (to include 15 years as property manager with the Housing Authority of Louisville); she has experience in supervision, management, grant writing, collecting and analyzing data from the social science perspective. Ritta is also a Public Health Sanitarian for the state of Indiana (i.e. inspections of public facilities for sanitary and health conditions, in restaurants, hotels, etc.) this includes septic tanks. Some of her other activities and accomplishments include; a consultant with NETWORK (New Energy to Work out Racial Kinks) and Fund for Women in Louisville, KY. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and a Regional (State) Board member for her Church affiliation Christian Church Disciples of Christ. She has co authored several published articles about Sensation seeking, impulsive decision-making and risky sex implications for risk-taking and design of interventions. She was awarded Best Graduate Student Paper presented at the Kentucky Communication Association at Pennyrile State Park on Teacher Immediacy. Since returning to her alma mater as faculty Ritta is involved in many organizations on campus and within the MSU community. Dr. Abell serves as Campus Advisor for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. (Eta Rho chapter), Black Gospel Ensemble (BGE), a member of MSU Faculty Senate, Alumni Association Board, Unit Development Officer (UDO) Campus Campaign, Student Resources: (Library) Communication Department Liaison, Faculty/Student Disciplinary Committee, Executive Producer of the MSU University TV show Kaleidoscope and Rowan County 4-H Youth Development Board Member. Dr. Abell is dedicated to the empowerment of children and adults toward their individualized strengths and needs. Demonstrating a keen ability to establish and maintain open lines of communication within all venues. She advocates for student-centered learning, which fosters an appreciation for multiculturalism and integrates a holistic communication approach.

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© 2012 by Dr. Ritta Abell. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/14/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-5471-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-5569-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012914112

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Ritual

Woman’s Secrets

Need

Mr

Girl Talk

Humming Back Yesterday

Ritual Pt 2

Music for Meriah

Waiting on the Reaper

No Ugly Ways

Terrain

About the Author

Characters

Female Actress 1

Female Actress 2

Female Actress 3

Male Actor 1

Male Actor 2

Ritual

SKU-000592878_TEXT.pdf

Adapted by Nathan Wellman

The Woman—Female Actress 2

(Blackout)

Woman’s Secrets

SKU-000592878_TEXT.pdf

Adapted by: Nathan Wellman and Ritta Abell

Iola Jean—Female Actress 3

Mama—Female Actress 2

Big Mama—Female Actress 1

Grandpa Joe—Male Actor 2

Mr. Adams—Male Actor 1

(Appalachian house. A Table SR. Refrigerator and kitchen SR. A fold out couch DL on which Iola Jean and Mama are sleeping. A pot with a lid, which they use as a toilet, sits on the right of the couch. Screen door US. It should feel a little cramped.)

(Lights go up. For a few beats, Iola Jean and Mama sleep. Iola Jean has a worn out bear, named Sirius. Iola Jean opens her eyes, looks around. She fidgets, tries to go back to sleep, fidgets again. Finally, she gives up and sits up straight. She runs her hand through Mama’s hair. She moves Sirius so that it looks like he’s walking on top of Mama.)

Iola Jean:   (whispering, as Sirius, addressing Mama) Don’t worry, yo’ Majesty. I’m the bravest knight in all of Kentucky! I heard you cryin’ to yo’self last night all the way from my tower. Somebody pretty as you, shouldn’t be cryin’ like dat, so I’m gone take you and yo’ whole family far, far away from here. I’ll protect you real good so dat the onliest thang you gone have to do wit’ yo’self is smile all the time. Smile and smell like sweetness. Yes ma’am, just smile and smell like sweetness.

(Mama starts to stir in her sleep, and Iola Jean plops down on her pillow and pretends to sleep. A beat. Grandpa Joe enters from SL, yawning and scratching himself. He crosses the stage, hocks up some phlegm and spits it onto the knee-high garbage tin. He goes out the screen door. A beat. Big Mama enters SL, not looking nearly as groggy. She scowls at how Mama is still sleeping, goes to the kitchen and opens the fridge. Takes out some eggs. The sound of the fridge door closing wakes Mama.)