The Writers@Work program at Chattanooga State Community College kicked off The Big Read, a citywide reading effort, two months ago. The book chosen for the community read was "Silver Sparrow," Tayari Jones' poignant story of a black teenager whose father is a bigamist.
The story of two families with the same father is told from the perspective of Dana Yarboro, the daughter whose identity remains a secret from his other daughter, Chaurisse Witherspoon and her mother, Laverne.
Selected scenes from the book will be presented by actors at Chattanooga State Community College today, March 23, at 7 p.m. in Room 30 of the Branch Center for Advanced Technology (CAT Building). These scenes will lead to discussions on family dynamics within the book's characters and audience members.
"So Much Drama: Theatrical Interpretations of Silver Sparrow" is directed by Chattanooga State professor Evans Jarnefeldt and Rachael Falu.
The cast includes Aneja Raiteri as Dana Yarboro, Yazzman Moore as Chaurisse Witherspoon, Portea Kershaw as James Witherspoon, Deonna Patterson as Laverne Witherspoon, Rachael Falu as Gwen Yarboro and Kevon Jackson as Rollie.
Family therapist Laura Huddleston will help facilitate the interactive discussions.
"We will perform certain scenes and the audience will discuss which conflicts were most applicable to students," says Jarnefeldt.
The audience will interact with the performances three times, he explains.
"There will be journaling and reflecting on choices in the play. Discussion will culminate in forum theater, where we take a scene and then the audience gets to redirect it," he says.
Jarnefeldt says the performance is open to the public, but the discussion is self-contained within the book, so attendees should be familiar with the story.
"If this performance starts a dialogue for any of those 'silver sparrows,' any young people who find themselves in a family situation where there could be shame, if all this book does is help them feel seen and start a dialogue then it will be a success," says Jarnefeldt.
There are 100 seats available for the performance, and seating is first-come, first-served.
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.