So, You Were Saying?: Dramatic Readings for Oral Interpretation

By Jamantha Williams Watson

Jamantha Agape Williams Watson is an Assistant Professor of Performance in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Hampton University. Her focus area is in Acting. Professor Watson coaches Hampton Universitys award-winning Forensics and Debate Team.
As a community servant, Watson is a tireless worker for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is also the founder of the AGAPE (Americans Giving to African People Everywhere) Connection, a non-profit organization that develops the socialization, education and residential needs of Africans throughout the world. Mrs. Watson is also a drama-therapist, who helps develop the socialization skills of individuals with special needs and those who have been deeply affected by trauma. For the past twenty years she has volunteered as an oral communication specialist in the female correctional facilities throughout Virginia. Currently she volunteers her oral communication services to women who are incarcerated in Newport News, Virginia.
She has appeared in numerous theatrical, film and television productions and tours the one woman show LD, a performance exploring the overrepresentation of African American students in Special Education. Watson is the author of Moonlight on a Weathered Path: Selected Readings for Dramatic Interpretation, Soul Food: Daily Inspirational Nutrition, Classical and Modern Monologues for Women, Classical and Modern Monologues for Men, Hear Me Out: Monologues for Todays Generation and Dont Call Us Well Call You. Her sixth book, Thats Debatable: Selected Prose, Poems, Single Dramatic Interpretation, Dramatic Duos and Debate Topics will be published in August 2011. She is completing two novels, Changing Seasons, a story about the civil war in Liberia, West Africa and No Shades of Grey, a novel about the school closings in Prince Edward County, Virginia.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 26, 2013
• ISBN: 9781493151707

Jamantha Williams Watson

Jamantha Agape Williams Watson is an Assistant Professor of Performance in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Hampton University. Her focus area is in Acting. Professor Watson coaches Hampton University’s award-winning Forensics and Debate Team. As a community servant, Watson is a tireless worker for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is also the founder of the AGAPE (Americans Giving to African People Everywhere) Connection, a non-profit organization that develops the socialization, education and residential needs of Africans throughout the world. Mrs. Watson is also a drama-therapist, who helps develop the socialization skills of individuals with special needs and those who have been deeply affected by trauma. For the past twenty years she has volunteered as an oral communication specialist in the female correctional facilities throughout Virginia. Currently she volunteers her oral communication services to women who are incarcerated in Newport News, Virginia.

Book preview

Copyright © 2013 by Jamantha Williams Watson.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2013922328

ISBN:          Softcover                                 978-1-4931-5169-1

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4931-5170-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 12/20/2013

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Contents

JAMANTHA WATSON

UP HIGH—DOWN LOW

THE JURY’S STILL OUT

SIX ACROSS

I DO

THE DAY THE EARTH SHOOK

FACEBOOKING

THE LYNCHING

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT

THE FUNERAL

UPSIDE DOWN INSIDE OUT

THE TEXT MESSAGE

To: Isaac and James

Resist your fear!

—Bishop T. D. Jakes

JAMANTHA WATSON

Jamantha Agape Williams Watson is an Assistant Professor of Performance in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Hampton University. Her focus area is in Acting. Professor Watson coaches Hampton University’s award-winning Forensics and Debate Team.

As a community servant, Watson is a tireless worker for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is also the founder of the AGAPE (Americans Giving to African People Everywhere) Connection, a non-profit organization that develops the socialization, education and residential needs of Africans throughout the world. Mrs. Watson is also a drama-therapist, who helps develop the socialization skills of individuals with special needs and those who have been deeply affected by trauma. For the past twenty years she has volunteered as an oral communication specialist in the female correctional facilities throughout Virginia. Currently she volunteers her oral communication services to women who are incarcerated in Newport News, Virginia.

She has appeared in numerous theatrical, film and television productions and tours the one woman show LD, a performance exploring the overrepresentation of African American students in Special Education. Watson is the author of Moonlight on a Weathered Path: Selected Readings for Dramatic Interpretation, Soul Food: Daily Inspirational Nutrition, Classical and Modern Monologues for Women, Classical and Modern Monologues for Men, Hear Me Out: Monologues for Today’s Generation and Don’t Call Us We’ll Call You. She is completing two novels, Changing Seasons, a story about the civil war in Liberia, West Africa and No Shades of Grey, a novel about the school closings in Prince Edward County, Virginia.

UP HIGH—DOWN LOW

Announcer—Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen. We have with us this morning RJ Smith, the absolute fastest quarterback in college football. Tell us this morning RJ, will you go directly to the NFL after you’ve been drafted in April or will you wait the extra month to graduate with your class?

RJ—Well, my parents really worked very hard to get me through college. I think I owe it to them to finish. I’m sure we’d all like to enjoy my graduation day.

Announcer—And you heard it right here folks. RJ Smith will march in the graduation ceremonies in May. But you can guarantee, we’ll be seeing much more of him on Sunday nights. Get ready for this shining star to amaze you and take your breath away.

(One week later, on Facebook)

RJ—Yo, what’s good?

Simon—Hey, hon. How you been?

RJ—Alright. Just missing the hell out of you, I guess.

Simon—Same here. I’m just getting back from summer break. Didn’t know you liked Facebook.

RJ—I tried calling you, but I didn’t get an answer.

Simon—Didn’t know you still wanted to keep in touch.

RJ—Always like keeping in touch. If you know what I mean.

Simon—So, what are you doing later on?

RJ—Me? Just hanging. You know me.

Simon—Want to come over? Lex, my roommate is baking the bomb lasagna. She thinks she can cook now. Lol. She’s going to chef school, after she graduates. She wanted me to try out the lasagna, now that we’re back from summer break. Want to come on over?

RJ—Well…

Simon—Well? Lol.

RJ—May have an extra football practice tonight.

Simon—Yeah, I know. I remember. Come on over, anyway. Around 8ish maybe?

RJ—(Pauses) 8ish it is.

Simon—Can’t wait to see you.

RJ—Me too.

(At Simon and Lex’s apartment)

Simon—Lex, you’ve got to help me. What am I going to wear?

Lex—Wear what you have on.

Simon—He’s already seen me in this before.

Lex—Well… Wear the blue shirt and a pair of jeans.

Simon—It’s not hot enough. I want to look hot for him. It’s been three months. I know he’s been seeing his girlfriend. I don’t want him thinking about anyone else but me tonight.

Lex—Well… don’t