DAVID SEPULVEDA PHOTO
From the make-do space of Bregamos Community Theater (BCT), located at the end of a sunken industrial parking lot behind Fair Haven’s Erector Square, a new play has emerged to take its place among the pantheon of theatrical works being presented at a major theater festival.
New Haven playwright and theatrical director Sharece M. Sellem announced that her play, Legends of the Forgotten Borough, has won a spot on this year’s roster of The Atlanta Black Theatre Festival and will be headlining it on Oct. 10 during Columbus Day weekend.
Less than a year ago, Sellem was holding staged readings of the new play at BCT, then titled The Forgotten Borough, soliciting audience feedback and reactions to the developing script.
After revisions, the play was staged before several sold-out audiences at Bregamos last December and February, under its current title.
The historical comedy was inspired by the Staten Island-based Force M.D.s, a legendary 1980s musical group that forged a new sound by melding aspects of R&B, soul, and doo-wop; their musical stirrings contributed to the nascent hip-hop scene that ultimately gave rise to a sweeping cultural movement.
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Some members of the original group continue to tour worldwide, based on the strength of a string of early hits that included “Let Me Love You,” “Tender Love,” “Tears,” and “Love Is a House.” Their legacy in American contemporary music will be showcased in a documentary debuting on TVONE’s Unsung series on Sept. 9, 2015.
During BCT stagings, Legends of the Forgotten Borough’s ensemble cast, under the musical direction of Colin Osborn, were up to the task of singing Force M.D.‘s soulful harmonies and performing the choreographed dance numbers required of Sellem’s script. Actors also shone in their portrayals of the group’s complex personalities and in supporting roles as they recreated pivotal moments of conflict, creativity, tragedy, and rebirth on their way to achieving musical immortality.
Stage sets included a backdrop of the Staten Island Ferry, the platform where The Force M.D.s shuttled and busked their way between Manhattan and Staten Island — an apt foil for much of the hilarity that ensues in the play. A well-used brownstone stoop supported characters as they crooned, cried, laughed and coped with the challenges of realizing their musical dreams.
Executive producers and original Force M.D. members Stevie D. and Khalil Lundy, who attended the show’s premiere, gave it an enthusiastic endorsement as they mingled and sang with cast members at the end of the show. Their contributions as executive producers proved substantial in providing elements that lent storytelling and musical authenticity to the play.
To help offset the expenses of bringing the show to Atlanta, a benefit showcase featuring performances by the cast and friends of Sellem’s new stage play will be held at Bregamos Community Theater on August 22, from 7 to 10 p.m.
Despite the financial and logistical challenges, Sellem said she looks forward to the next steps in the life of her play. “This is only the beginning and I can’t be more excited. I’m proud of the work we’re doing. We’re preserving an important piece of music history,” she said.
The production is currently seeking understudies for the show and will be holding auditions by appointment. For more information, contact the director. To help support festival trip expenses through a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign, click here.
