Second Thought Theater Opens 2020 Season With MLIMA'S TALE

Second Thought Theatre begins its sixteenth season with the area premiere of Mlima's Tale by Lynn Nottage. Tiana Kaye Blair makes her STT directing debut with this year's season opener. Mlima's Tale begins with previews on Wednesday, February 19 and runs through Saturday, March 14. All performances of Mlima's Tale will take place at Bryant Hall on the Kalita Humphreys Campus, 3400 Blackburn Street. Tickets to Mlima's Tale can be purchased online at secondthoughttheatre.com.

Ancient and legendary African elephant, Mlima, is struck down and his massive tusks stolen as trophies. His ghost is ever-present as the tusks change hands many times and travel the world from Kenya, to Vietnam, to Beijing. Set against the backdrop of the black market ivory trade, and written by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner, Lynn Nottage (Sweat; Ruined), Mlima's Tale explores complex questions of global consumerism, ancestral history, and human greed.

"Mlima's Tale offers a rare chance to present a play that takes place entirely in the Eastern Hemisphere. The play bounces between various locales across Africa and Asia, offering brief glimpses into cultures we rarely see represented on American stages. It challenges audiences to consider the cost of our culture of consumerism, while cleverly reminding us that we are all complicit in it to some degree," says STT Artistic Director, Alex Organ. "We are also thrilled to welcome many new faces to the STT stage and to have the play led by one of the most exciting talents in our community, Tiana Kaye Blair."

"This timely piece by Lynn Nottage takes us on a journey of the illegal ivory trade from the perspective of the hunted. Every underground global economy-from the trading of ivory, to the blood diamond trade, to the transatlantic slave trade-has a funding source that keeps it thriving and is likely thousands of miles away. Nottage brings that contention right to our doorstep and allows us a look into the varying levels of complicity within the syndicate," says Mlima's Tale director, Tiana Kaye Blair,

Making their STT debuts are actors Kristen D'Sha, McClendon "Mickey" Giles, and Christopher Lew. Rounding out the four-person ensemble is Sam Henderson, who most recently appeared in STT's 2018 production of Hillary and Clinton. Together the ensemble will portray nearly twenty characters. As Organ says, "In addition to raising challenging moral and ethical questions, the play is also a celebration of the transformative and detailed work of the actor."

STT Artistic Associate Aaron Johansen (What We Were, Empathitrax, Grounded) will design lights. Mason York and Amy Poe make their Second Thought debuts designing sound and costumes, respectively. Jocelyn Girigorie (Enemies/People) returns as set designer.

Mlima's Tale opens with previews on Wednesday, February 19, and Thursday, February 20, at 7:30pm. Opening and press night is Friday, February 21 at 8:00pm. The PWYC performances of Mlima's Tale will take place on Wednesday, February 19; Thursday, February 20; Monday, February 24; Monday, March 2; and Monday, March 9 at 7:30p. PWYC tickets are available at the box office one hour prior to the start of the performance and are subject to availability. Mlima's Tale runs through March 14. Tickets to Mlima's Tale are on sale now at secondthoughttheatre.com and can be purchased for $25.

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