Interview: Playwright Kisha Bundridge of BEYOND THE OAK TREES at Crossroads Theatre 2/16-2/26

Beyond the Oak Trees will be performed at Crossroads Theatre from February 16th to February 26th. This new play is written by Kisha Bundridge and directed by the theatre's Producing Artistic Director, Marshall Jones III. Beyond the Oak Trees features Ademide Akintilo as Hodari/Sampson, Elijah J. Coleman as Joseph/Jasper, and Abigail A. Ramsay as Jessica/Harriet Tubman.

The play offers a dramatic retelling of the daring story of Harriet Tubman, former slave and fabled abolitionist who led hundreds of slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad in the years leading up to the Civil War. Set in the present at the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged in Auburn, N.Y., (designated a National Historical Park on Jan. 10, 2017), and in the past on the treacherous route to freedom. Beyond the Oak Trees brings audiences into the heart and mind of Tubman. Two young researchers, Joseph and Hodari, visit the home for a history project and discover their own history embedded within its walls, inhabited by an ethereal woman named Jessica who seems to know more than the average guide. The history they are studying comes to life as Tubman leads a group of vulnerable, frightened slaves north from Maryland on her last journey as "the Moses of her people."

Broadwayworld.com had the fascinating opportunity to interview Kisha Bundridge about her career and the Beyond the Oak Trees.

Bundridge is the co-author of Iced Out Shackled & Chained: Still Looking for the North Star. Initially produced at Harlem Stage in New York, where it won the Jerome Foundation Award, it then received a successful run at the National Black Theatre in Harlem, prior to being selected for the National Black Theater Festival in North Carolina. She was Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Blackberry Productions' Youth Theater Company where she developed original works with young artists about their experiences growing up in New York City. She recently completed work on Beyond the Oak Trees, a contemporary tale about Harriet Tubman's final journey on the Underground Railroad, and looks forward to crafting other works exploring resonances of African American experience on contemporary societal trends. Kisha Bundridge is honored and thrilled to bring Beyond the Oak Trees to Crossroads Theatre.

We asked Bundridge to tell us when she first realized her talent for writing. She told us that in grade school she received a lot of awards for creative writing. Growing up in Harlem, she was honored with the borough-wide Langston Hughes Writing Award when she was in the 4th grade. In fact, Bundridge grew up in a family that treasured the arts. Her mother Stephanie Berry, an actor and a playwright, has always been her mentor. Bundridge also fondly recalled dance lessons in her youth that included African Dance, Ballet as well as Modern and she participated in a youth dance company.

Bundridge graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) with a degree in advertising and has always been involved in the arts. Her altruistic spirit led her to work with many non-profit programs. Her broad view of humanity has been a great motivation for her writing and has given her important insights. She commented, "I've had a glimpse into many different worlds but these worlds don't always collide. People tend to live in their own bubbles and don't recognize others around them."

We asked Bundridge about her inspiration for Beyond the Oak Trees. "We all grew up thinking we knew who Harriet Tubman was. There's so much more to her story. I am fascinated by the interior stories of people and how it forms their lives." She has appreciated the help she got with the Beyond the Oak Trees from her friend, director and performer Jeffery Thompson. She commented, "Jeffery acted as my sounding board. I was able to bounce ideas off of him when I was writing the play."

Bundridge resides in Georgia so she has been communicating with Crossroads Theatre from a distance. She said that they are doing a great job of keeping her in the loop. "I sat in virtually on one of the show's rehearsals and and they are on top of keeping me abreast of the everyday development of the show" We asked Bundridge what she would like metro area audiences to know about the upcoming performance of Beyond the Oak Trees. "The piece is not a typical historic piece or a typical journey. I was trying to make you feel that you are experiencing something in a different way with the connection of past and present.

Bundridge told us a little about her plans for the future. "I have a few other projects. I am constantly being inspired, I do hope to have some more pieces coming down the pike that have a social and culture relevance."

The play continues Crossroads' "celebration of a woman's gift," the season's theme honoring the power, glory and struggles of women in its mainstage productions.

Performances of Beyond the Oak Trees will be on Feb. 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m.; Feb. 19, 25 and 26 at 3 p.m.; and Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. Ticket prices range from $25 for the 10 a.m. matinee to $55 for opening night on Feb. 18. For tickets, go online to www.crossroadstheatrecompany.org or call 732.545.8100. Crossroads is located at 7 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick in the heart of the city's vibrant arts district with convenient parking and mass transit options available.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Kisha Bundridge

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