By: Lolita Clayton

Lolita Clayton — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 22:33:37 +0000

Thank you for your review. I would just like to add clarity to one point: ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ (also known as the African American National Anthem) is not a protest song but rather a poem, written by James Weldon Johnson (who is mentioned in the play as being a friend of the Delany’s), that was set to music by his brother J. Rosamond Johnson. It was created in response to a request for James to speak during a program celebrating Abraham Lincoln’s birthday in February 1899. Little did they know the lasting effect this song would have in the lives of African Americans! The words of this song speak to Africans Americans continued feelings of faith and hope, and their quest for harmony, peace, and liberty despite Americas’ violent, terrible, struggle with racism at that time. The words of this song still resonate with me today. The first verse, which we sing during the show, is as follows:
LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON
Lift ev’ry voice and sing,
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.

By: Paula Y. Bickham

Paula Y. Bickham — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 01:23:59 +0000

I saw this production 2/18/07. I greatly enjoyed, “Having Our Say.” I would encourage anyone to see it. You won’t be bored. It is a spendid production that gives a cursory lesson in American history where the ‘sisters Delany’ talk about everything from heritage, race relations, and problematic laws, to growing up, good eating habits, the benefits of exercise, the importance of voting, and overall thanksgiving. Dialog is lengthy, but is worth every minute. There are parts that are warm, funny, sad, and reminiscent. The audience was so engaged. Many rose to sing along with the ‘sisters’, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The set looked realistic. Even the clock on the kitchen wall worked. The kitchen window and a picture in the dining room (the Delany Rose) served an additional purpose as screens to project family pictures and other historical documentation for the audience to see. The ‘sisters’ talked to us while they prepared dinner, set the table, and perused photo albums. The actresses, Miss Carney and Miss Lolita-Marie were fabumagnificent. They were convincing as they entertained us in their ‘home’ with wit and straight forwardness. The only problem that I saw as a distraction was during curtain call. As Miss Carney and Miss Lolita-Marie acknowledge the audience’s applause at about the same time as Miss Lolita-Marie is coming back onstage to join Miss Carney a woman appears from backstage followed by another woman who has flowers in both hands. As the audience is appluading the actresses I could sense the confusion (including my own) when these other people appeared on the stage. It was like somebody crashed the party. This was the actresses moment, and was not the time for anyone else to appear on stage who was not part of the act. It was distracting to me in that it put a damper on my ability to savor that wonderful ‘visit’ with the Delany sisters. BUT, with that gripe aside, I must tip the proverbial hat to director Peggy Jones, and the whole production crew for a job WELL done.

Comments on: Tapestry Theatre Company Having our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First One Hundred Years

By: Lolita Clayton

By: Paula Y. Bickham