As I was going through one of the most trying times in my life a couple years of ago, I met a wonderful thespian who invited me to tryout for one of her plays. Her name was Carla. She was an acting legend in our community. Carla was a wonderful actress in her own right. She was assigned the chore of producing a local play specifically for African-Americans called "Gee's Bend". I was appointed to play Nella Pettway, a women whose life was changed by just one single incident as a young girl. She informed me to put all of my energy in this character and I did.
Nella's character was a little comical. As the story progressed however over a 60 year period, you find out the one "incident" that affected Nella's life negatively in her monologue that was recalled when she was about 80. While Nella and her sister were just young girls, a nice man befriended the family and helped them refurbish their house, and livestock. However, he died and his widow decided to come across the river and repossess everything from their property! Men came in trucks and took all the belongings back from Nella and her family. When it came to the pigs that was given to the family, the mother instructed Nella to go outside and slaughter the pigs before the men could take them away also!
You see Nella never married because of this one incident. She never had any children, and she lived with her mother for most of her life. The audience itself did not know why until she recalled this experience when she was about seventy-ish. The character "Alice" who played her mother softened her grip on "Nella" because of that one incident. Nella came out of that barn covered in pigs blood after her mother instructed her to slaughter the pigs. Well the whole entire town saw this women dripping from head to toe in pigs blood! No one wanted to date, marry or love this women because of this one incident. The guilt that Nella and her mother felt simply because of this one bad choice affected their lives for the worse.
I primarily told you the story about my character in the play "Gees Bend" to encourage any man, woman, or child that no matter the one life-altering situation that changed the course of your whole life, basically just let it go!! Never let the "Nella Syndrome" or one instance define your life for the rest of your life. That is way too heavy of a burden to carry. Know that when you are knocked down, never stay there. I encourage you to always fight and get back up again and keep it moving!!!As for Carla, that play was one of the most successful African-American play's ever done at the playhouse. I believe so many people could relate to it, making it very relevant for everyone.
I am continuing to encourage each and everyone of you to make this the best year of your life!!!
Peace and Blessings
With Love
Danica
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