Creative Cauldron Presents HAVING OUR SAY: THE DELANY SISTERS FIRST 100 YEARS

"The reason we've lived this long is because we never married. We never had husbands to worry us to death!"-Bessie Delany.

The 2021-22 Season "Reignite, Reimagine!" opens with Having Our Say, The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years, a play by Emily Mann, adapted from the book by Sarah L. Delany and Amy L Delany with Amy Hill Hearth.

The play follows the real-life centenarian Delany sisters as they welcome you to into their home where they share 100 years of American history recounting fascinating events and anecdotes drawn from their rich family history and careers as pioneering African American professionals. The Delany Sisters reflections on their father's childhood in slavery, their career beginnings, the Civil Rights movement, and the bonds of sisterhood catapulted the original book to a 105-week run on the New York Times bestseller list.

Currently, all seating is socially distanced, masks are required for all patrons at all times, and proof of vaccination or a negative test is required for all patrons over 12. Having Our Say runs October 7 through October 31, 2021. Press night is October 9th.

Director Bryanda Minix, originally from Houston, TX, is an actor, director, playwright, and teaching artist, based in Washington, DC. She is a 2016 alum of The Theatre Lab's Honor's Conservatory. Her most recent work has been with Anacostia Playhouse, Mosaic Theater Company, Keegan Theatre, Theater Resources Unlimited (New York), and for Honor Roll! in association with the African American Policy Forum's #SayHerName campaign. Bryanda also considers herself a professional conversation starter, connector, cultivator of hope, and fierce advocate about removing barriers to opportunity.

Ayesis Clay (Bessie Delany) is an actress, director, and teaching artist. Some of her favorite acting credits include Mayme in Intimate Apparel (Anacostia Playhouse), Bud Not Buddy (Adventure Theatre), and Miss Leah in Flyin' West (CVPA-Suitland). Ayesis has written and produced Standing on the Edge, which has toured in locations across the US and recently premiered her one-woman show, Sculpting Clay or How I Became Mother of Unicorns. She is a member of the 2019 Assistant Director Fellowship for People of Color (Adventure Theatre). For 14 years, Ayesis served as the Theatre Department Chairperson for the Center for the Visual and Performing Arts at Suitland High School and sat on the Prince George's County Theatre Advisory Board where she developed curriculum for grades K-12 and produced the county's annual Theatre Festival for over 1000 students.

Lisa Hill-Corley (Sadie Delany) is an artist, actor, director, writer, and teacher most recently seen at Creative Cauldron in Difficult Conversations: Bridging the Divide ten minute play series, where she wrote and performed in the stage reading of But What I Really Said. Hill-Corley has appeared in over 50 shows throughout the region, including Macbeth for Theatre Prometheus and Antigone in Antigone Reflected for Capital Fringe Festival, Twelfth Night (Maria) with the Herndon Community Arts Lab, Landless Theatre Company in Psycho Beach Party (Berdine) and A Christmas Story ((Miss) Shields), Love Letters (Melissa Gardener) with The Flying Muskrats Theatre Company, Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet) with the Prince George's Shakespeare Festival.

The Creative Team for Having Our Say includes: Scenic and Costume Designer Margie Jervis, Creative Cauldron's Resident Designer, Lighting and Projection Designer James Morrison. And Nicholas Goodman as Stage Manager.

Tickets for Having Our Say and the 2021-2022 Season can be purchased online at creativecauldron.org or by calling

To post a comment, you must register and login.