Rosalee Pritchett & The Perry's Mission

Rosalee Pritchett and The Perry’s Mission is playing at the Theatre 80 St. Marks located at 80 St. Marks Place. The plays runs one hour each with a twenty minute intermission. It runs thru April 22, 2017.

Both plays were last performed together in 1971 at the St. Marks Theatre.

Rosalee Pritchett (Monique Pappas) and her friends Dorry (Malika Nzinga), Belle (Jeanne Foster- McKelvia) and Doll (Joyce Griffen) are at Rosalee home. They are upper class Blacks. Rosalee’s husband is a doctor. They meet to play bridge and gossip. Outside their world there are riots going on. The white National Guard is walking the streets keeping law and order. Rosalee is raped by four guards. She has a nervous breakdown. Her friends don’t seem phased by it.

The Perry Mission is set in a modest bar in a black community.

The bartender (Chauncey Deleon) is not very friendly. Processed Nigga (Chaz Ruben) and his white girlfriend Susie (Marion Silverman) are already in the bar. In come Negro Man (Daniel Carlton) and his co-worker White Man (Buck Hinkle). Their car broke down and need a way to get back to the office. When Negro Man ask where the paid phone is bartender pointsan says it against the wall, pointing over there. When he inquires where the bus schedule is he says look on the wall. The bartender finally tells him the bus never runs on time and beside the bus driver comes in for a drink so they will know when the bus is here.

It’s pouring outside. Two teens come wanting drinks. Teen 1 (Carron Lloyd) and Teen 2 (G. Anthony Williams) claim they are over twenty one. Bartender wants ID, when he finds out their not, he’s going to kick them out. However he takes pity on them because of the rain and he lets them stay.

The last two people to come into the bar is Militant (Horace Glasper) and Old Man (Laurie Folkes).

Things happen in the bar between the customers. I’m not telling you what happen or how it ended. But this is a must see play. This play had the most impact on me. The set is well done. The cast was outstanding.

Both plays are worth seeing. They have something to say even in 2017.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.