World Premiere of SCRAMBLED EGGS Comes to the Gene Frankel Theatre in Honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month

 In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Faith Steps Productions and 24 Bond Arts Center will present the world premiere of "Scrambled Eggs," a new seven-character play by Reginald L. Wilson, directed by Fulton C. Hodges, from October 11 to 29 at Gene Frankel Theatre, 24 Bond Street, Manhattan.  The play reveals the underpinnings and dynamics of domestic violence with a compelling fictional story that can incite conversation, build understanding and inspire advocacy. Audience members are encouraged to wear purple to demonstrate support and show survivors they are not alone. (Across the country, people will “Go Purple" on October 20 to spread awareness.)

The play is a two-act family drama illustrating this major public health problem in a richly drawn, made-up middle-class family.  Its central character, Terrence, is a construction worker in his 40s who doesn't stay employed long and indulges in alcohol and marijuana. He and Sable are married with one son, a primary schooler named Lil T.  At first Terrence is presented as a doting father to Lil T, but it is only because his abuser's tactics are artfully concealed.  He is destructive toward the boy, but his primary focus is on his wife.  He spies on her with hidden recording devices and manipulates her for her money, including grabbing for himself from birthday gifts she has received from her parents.  The parents, indulgent and protective toward their daughter, are only getting intimations that something is wrong.  Sable is clearly warned that her relationship will deteriorate into family violence by her best friend Janice, who has become a psychologist and counselor for abused women in reaction to her own abusive relationship.  Sable, having long ago accepted Terrence's behaviors, will not believe she is being abused. 

Terrence's best friend, Shawn, finds himself rekindling a romantic relationship with Janice.  Their relationship illustrates a hopeful path back for survivors of family violence who may be scarred by the experience.  But neither this couple nor Sable's parents are able to protect Sable when Terrence's mental abuse becomes physical.  Following a regrettable incident, Terrence manipulates Sable to believe that he didn't mean to assault her and that he will get help.  He relates a story of being abused in his childhood and how he didn't know that he, himself, was being abusive.  It is another manipulation tactic.  The drama ends in a cliffhanger.

The play is sensitive to the unique economic pressures and social issues within all communities that contribute to family unrest, illustrating distinctive psychological patterns of domestic violence that are universally instructive.  The playwright's aim is to personalize the issue, allow the audience to see domestic violence from the perspective of the characters involved, humanize both victims and perpetrators and enable the audience to perceive to their struggles and motivations. By mapping the dynamics of domestic violence, Wilson hopes to help break down stereotypes and biases that are associated with it.  The title of the play comes from a tactic of the abuser, as explained by Janice. "To scramble eggs, first you crack them.  Once they are broken you isolate them in a bowl and beat them.  People think that the more they beat eggs the better the scramble is or the softer they become.  It’s the same way when dealing with domestic abuse. These abusers think that the more they beat their victims the more they scramble their minds into thinking that the beating is O.K."

The play was mounted as a studio production at University of Florida in 2010 with an all-white cast.  This time, for its world premiere, it is being staged with an all-Black cast.

Playwright Reginald “Reggie" Wilson has penned three plays: "Scrambled Eggs," "Da Rapture" and "Platinum Grilled and Spirit Filled."  In 2006, he was asked by The Refuge House for Battered Women in Madison County, Florida to co-author a short play with songs dealing with Domestic Violence.  The piece was well received by the community and inspired Wilson to begin intense research on the topic.  After reading real life stories and situations of abusers and the abused, he crafted this full-length production to attack the subject head on.  His lead character, Sable, embodies many women and tells their stories from multiple aspects of abuse including mental, verbal, economic and physical.  The playwright plays Terrence in this production.

Wilson arrived in NYC in 2011 from Tallahassee, FL to intern with Woodie King Jr. at New Federal Theatre. The following year he was awarded an AUDELCO Award (Lead Actor) for his performance as Levee in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" at New Haarlem Arts Theatre.  He received his second AUDELCO (Best Solo Performance) for playing the title role in "Sugar Ray," a bioplay on boxer Sugar Ray Robinson by Laurence Holder directed by Woodie King Jr.  It debuted as dinner theater at Harlem Besame Restaurant in 2016 and was revived in 2022 at Gene Frankel Theatre. Other New York credits include “Blues for Mister Charlie," "Stockholm Savings," "Black Angels Over Tuskegee," "Haiti's Children of God," "The Whistle In Mississippi" and "The Meeting." He was Assistant Director of Negro Ensemble Company’s 2017 revival of of "A Soldier's Play," which won three AUDELCO awards in 2017 and was revived at Gene Frankel Theatre in 2018. He directed "Dearly Departed" at Mars Hill University and appeared as Xavier in Dominique Morisseau's “Pipeline" in Portland, OR.  Wilson has appeared in three plays by Layon Gray, “Black Angels Over Tuskegee," "Searching for Willie Lynch" and "Cowboy." His performance as Levi in the Miami, FL production of "Cowboy" for M Ensemble Company earned a Best Supporting Actor award from BroadwayWorld.com.  Most recently, he took over the part of Frank in Negro Ensemble Company's production of "Unentitled" by Charles White at 59E59Theatres.  He holds a BA in Theater from Florida A&M University and an MFA in Theater from University of Florida. 

Fulton C. Hodges (Director) was a staff member of the Black Spectrum Theatre, where he directed "Samson's Way," "Who You'd Least Expect, "The Renaissance of Keisha," "I Don't Want to be Mamie Till" and "Picking Up the Pieces." In 1997, he won an AUDELCO Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical Production (with co-director Woodie King, Jr.) for "A Trip to Nowhere," which also won Musical Production of the Year. Other notable productions include "Forbidden Fruit" and "Night Turns to Day" (New York Theatre Festival), "Scenes from a Marriage" (Strawberry One Act Festival) and "The Lesson" (Harlem Playwrights 21's Short Play Festival). He also co-directed with Michael Green a production of "Black Wall Street" for Shades of Truth Theatre. As an Associate of Theatre of the Living Word, he helped stage productions of "Hamlet," "The Tempest," "Wait Until Dark" with Marlon Campbell, while directing "A Kid's Life, "The Moral Play of Everyman," "A Raisin in the Sun," "Livin" Fat," "Haiti's Children of God" and "Love Is."

The actors are: Tatiana Scott (as Sable), Reginald L. Wilson (as Terrence), Steven Strickland (as Shawn), Ria Alexander (as Janice), Simone Black (as Sable's mother), K. Sidney (as Sable's Father) and Christopher Woodley (as Lil T). Understudying the role of Lil T is Montgomery CP Steele.

Technical Director is Thomas Gordon. Set and props are by Marlon Campbel. Lighting designer is Lucky Pearto.  Costume Designer is Ria Alexander.  Stage Manager is Rosita Timm.  Artistic Director of Gene Frankel Theatre is Gail Thacker.

This play is not suitable for children under 17 due to subject matter and language.

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