Colored Flames: An Anthology of Contemporary Dramatic Plays

By Florence J. Mills

Colored Flames presents five original plays from the mind of Florence J. Mills. These plays tug on the human heart string. They make you laugh and they make you cry. You get a glimpse into the lives of characters who may very well resemble someone you know because the situations are very realistic and riveting. Each play looks at life from a dif

• Language: English
• Publisher: Florence Mills Production
• Release date: Sep 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9780692161562

Book preview

Preface

It took me a life time to write this book, Colored Flames. The journey wasn't smooth sailing. There were a lot of rough edges.

My family came to this country in the 1970's from Haiti. I experienced culture shock and also a language barrier. But my parents taught me to be strong and have pride in my heritage. It was important to my father to teach us Haitian history. He did this from time to time at Sunday dinner so we could develop pride in who we are. My parents also instilled in me the hope that you can achieve your dream if you work, save and pray.

As I adapted to this culture, these plays were written over many years. Colored Flames represents the different forms of struggle in our existence. Although struggle comes in different shades, it still burns. As a woman of color, I faced different situations that forced me to take a stand.  I had to fight for my place in this society to be respected.  It was great to know great women who came before me and struggled and won, such as Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, etc. 

It gives me great honor to share the colored flames of life with you as a collection of plays. Each play is carefully woven to share insights into the human experience, to light up your spirit, to move you into a new state of being. You light up a flame.

These are plays about love, revenge, deceit and let down. They are also about hope for a better tomorrow.  Each play, except for Heiressa, has been performed off Broadway in front of a live audience. 

I decided that 2018 would be the year to place Colored Flames into your hearts. 

With great joy, I present to you, Colored Flames.

Acknowledgments

I thank God for my faith in Him that all things are possible. To my ancestors who paved the way for my success, without whose struggles I would be nothing, I say thank you. And to my family and friends, and all the actors who worked with me, I give undying gratitude for their endless love and support in producing my plays and ultimately contributing to the creation of an anthology.

Thank you to my lovely sister Karlyne Mills for believing in me; to Justin Cadet, my nephew, for lending his constant support and technological expertise, displaying the love of a son that I never had so that I could learn to use my new computer and software and work on Colored Flames.

Special thanks to James Pringle for accepting me into the Harlem Theatre Company where he taught me how to be my best.  He made me believe I was a winner. For the rest of my life, I will carry the slogan, We’re a winner!

Of course, every good project always has key people. Without my team of great people, I would not be standing.  Those are people who when you are ready to put up a project, together they are there regardless of the funds. Special thanks go to my daughter, Crystal Peoples Prince, my first production manager as well as a part of the cast in several productions, exhibiting great faith in me; to Roger Prince for working behind the scenes and giving his support and encouragement for many of my productions doing whatever was needed; to Shaunta Macklin Benbow, my dear wonderful, talented, loving, kind friend who has been a blessing behind the scene as well as a part of the casts for many years; to the late Tarrence Thompson who helped with set design on several occasions;  to Joyce Peña, my stage manager for over 10 years, and a force of encouragement and professionalism even when I didn't have enough funds for many of my productions; to actors from the Harlem Theatre Company: Crystal Isaac, Kim Gardner and Rowan Lindsay who helped me to get started with my initial production. I am grateful to them for believing in me.

Also a part of my team is Lucinda Carr, an actress as well as my production manager and creator of marketing material for many of my shows. With a long-term friendship based on mutual respect and integrity, she has remained steadfast. She has been an inspiration from the first production of The March in 1997 to the present, working with publicity as well as production, and playing a crucial role in bringing Colored Flames to you. I can never thank her enough.

Thanks to my coworkers of Brooklyn Queens Nursing Home for actually coming out in the cold to Manhattan to support productions that are now a part of Colored Flames.

For demonstrating an abundance of encouragement, inspiration  and support, and contributing to the person that I am today, I want to thank Ron Brown, Florence Choice, Jean Cleophat,  Captain Ernie Davis, Austin Dunbar, John Ellerbee, Clara Gelato, Lenis Guess, Allen Harris, Liz Lamarre, Greg Mills, Hillary Mody, Sara Moreno, Dr. Moses, Joan Niccolls, Ishmael Pesson, Dr. Max Sheppard, Deardra Shuler, Brother North Star, Timothy Aaron Styles, Sean Turner, Frankie Gray Tutino, Phil Whitney, Tyrone Williams, Stella Winston, Chuck Wise, Quil Young, the late Pauline Coyne, and the late Gerald Loud. I truly appreciate you.

And certainly, thanks to The Producers Club for housing many of my productions.

God has blessed me with angels here on earth.

Colored Flames

An Anthology of Contemporary

Dramatic Plays

FLORENCE J. MILLS

THE MARCH

A DRAMA IN TWO ACTS

by Florence J. Mills

CAUTION:  Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that this play is subject to a royalty. It is fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America, the British Commonwealth, including Canada and all other countries of the Copyright Union. All rights including, but not limited to professional, amateur, motion pictures, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio broadcasting, television and the rights to translate into other languages are strictly reserved. Application for performance, etc. should be made prior to the rehearsal and addressed to the author. No performance may be given without written permission from the author.

Introduction

Civil rights activist Tarana Burke, one of the Silence Breakers, Time’s 2017 Person of the Year, is the founder of the original Me Too movement (Disis, Jill. 2017, December 6). She began using the phrase me too in 2006 to raise awareness of the violence and sexual assaults on women. The movement has developed into an international movement since actress Alyssa Milano used the hashtag #MeToo in a tweet on October 15, 2017. The #MeToo hashtag went viral. Many allegations surfaced as women spoke out against their abusers saying, enough is enough. This movement started by Ms. Burke and embraced by Ms. Milano helped to bring greater awareness and support for victims. They now know that they are not alone (Biography.com editors. 2018, March 1).

The March is coming to you at the right time. It is a play based on human experiences, as well as dealing with me too. We see one character totally devastated by physical, emotional and sexual abuse that leads her to want to commit suicide. The play delves into the lives of four completely different women. Each has a different story to tell. Yet they are connected by a common denominator; each life is influenced by past relationships that left them broken. The March symbolizes the voices of women who kept silent too long. In a dramatic, easy, as well as comedic effect, it moves you.

While this play is fictional, it represents what could be true with our lives today. It depicts the lives of four different women with different backgrounds, brought together by supernatural means - the marching spirit. The marching spirit purposely places them together to effectively solve a problem and prevent a tragedy. Each marcher has her own agenda. However, the focus is on Millie, as her life will be changed forever. Millie stands on the bridge ready to jump, with Evangeline ready to save her - symbolizing sisterhood.

This modern contemporary play with drama, comedic effects, and dance choreography was written and copyrighted in the 1990's, but updated to deal with today's issues. It has been performed several times at off-Broadway venues and has an original soundtrack created by Lenis Guess.

Note: This is a fictional play with fictional characters. Any resemblance to persons either living or dead is purely coincidental

Reference List: 

Biography.com editors. (2018, March 1). Tarana Burke Biography. Retrieved July 10, 2018 from the Biography.com website: https://www.biography.com/people/tarana-burke

Disis, Jill. (2017, December 6). Time’s Person of the Year 2017 is ‘The Silence Breakers’. Retrieved from the CNN

website: https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/06/media/time-person-of-the-year-2017/index.html

Characters

Marchetta       The marching spirit.

Feliah       The live wire; she’s egocentric; ghetto fabulous; a modern, contemporary woman who got physically assaulted by her boyfriend’s wife and is still angry. She thinks she knows it all. Actor must dance or move well.

Letta       The political hooker; a modern, contemporary woman who was brought up in a small town. She is bitter because she was cheated on; felt she was let down by love and used by men. As a result, she became a prostitute for revenge. Pessimistic. Sexy. Requires an actor who is a good dancer.

Evangeline       The confused church-going Christian woman with no sense of style and wears glasses; she is angry because her boyfriend refuses to commit. She has four children and he gives her no support. Requires an actor who is a very good dancer.

Millie       A former cop; a modern, contemporary woman who feels trapped in a physically abusive relationship. Requires an actor who moves well.

Grandma       Millie's grandmother’s spirit/sage.

Extras

(Extra actors can play multiple roles if needed. They also double as extra marchers.)

Jamaican Girl       Adult female; Must move well. Fights with Feliah.

Manucurist       Could be played by a male or female.

Prostitute       Adult female.

Nail Salon Clients

Husband

Male Protestors

The Pimp

Dancers

Gospel Singers

Time and Setting

Time

The Present.

Setting

The story takes place during a women’s march on the Brooklyn Bridge. The march was stopped by a supernatural force, Marchetta, the marching spirit. Four very different women were chosen by the marching spirit to collectively solve a problem of one of the women.

Act One

Scene One

The marchers are crossing the Brooklyn Bridge and protesting for change. It is hot and sweaty on the bridge. There is a large crowd of people marching. The action takes place on the bridge.

(Lights come up on the marchers doing a marching dance in formation - like soldiers. The marchers stomp their feet while screaming, Fired up can’t take no more! and No justice, no peace! While screaming out their chants, they awaken the marching spirit, Marchetta. Marchetta enters and dances through the marchers as they have provided space for her. She makes a motion which causes them to freeze. Marchetta crosses down