Cast members in “A Crack in the Blue Wall”include (left to right) Maya Carter, Emily Sheeran, and Derek Jackson. Renford Lee photo“Ripped from the headlines” is an entertainment tag that leaves many skeptical about how much actual “reality” goes into the mix. But the play “A Crack in the Blue Wall,” currently in a return engagement at Hibernian Hall in Dudley Square, manages to find universality and hope amidst all the painfully familiar dynamics. The nine-performance run ends on Nov. 22.
The title of this absorbing work by award-winning playwright Jacqui Parker alludes to “the blue wall of silence,” shorthand for the unwritten rule among police officers not to report on a colleague’s errors, misconduct, or crimes.
The play focuses on the shooting by a white police officer of Trey, a young black peace worker jogging through the Boston Common. Parker allows audiences to see things through the eyes of those connected to the tragedy — including relatives in Trey’s family and law enforcement.
On hearing a quick synopsis of the plot, some potential playgoers might jump to the conclusion that the drama has little more to offer than what has been hammered home by Black Lives Matter protests across the country. But the playwright was scrupulous enough to develop characters that were more than stereotypes on either side of the racial divide.
In talking with the Reporter, Parker said, “Male audience members black and white have praised my depiction of the friendship between Wendell (a black officer) and Evan (a white officer), which is a huge compliment, because I spent a great deal of time developing something that was real.”
Though its subject matter is explosive, “A Crack in the Blue Wall” is filled with humor and sexiness that remind playgoers that while death is indeed tragic, life still goes on. Says Parker: “I have been through two difficult funerals in the past few months and through them both we found laughter and love, which makes us very human.”
The cast for the play includes, in alphabetical order, includes: Derek Jackson (Diallo), Wyatt Jackson (Wendell), Amelia Lumpkin (Aiyana), Seyquan Mack (Trey), Yohanna Perez (Leslie), John Porell (Evan), and Abria Smith (Deltra).
Ms. Parker is a playwright, director, and actor based in Boston, where she is the artistic director of Our Place Theatre Project. She is the founder of the African American Theatre Festival at Boston Center for the Arts, which has sought out and promoted works by people of color, including the younger set. For her work as an activist in theater diversity, Parker won the 2004 Boston Theatre Hero Award from StageSource and the 2009 Drylongso Award from Community Change, Inc.
“Blue Wall” is the second work by Parker to be produced by Hibernian Hall, which has selected her as Visiting Playwright during 2015-2016. Her first play, “Roads to Wisdom,” was presented in May 2015. A preview weekend of “A Crack in the Blue Wall” was presented in July 2015 and was met by enthusiastic applause and rave reviews by Roxbury audiences. Parker also directed the staged reading of Bill Lowe’s original work, “Pieces of Cane,” at Hibernian Hall last June.
Remaining performances of the show are on November 13, 14, 15, and November 20, 21, 22. Tickets can be purchased at hibernianhall.org, or at the door. Hibernian Hall is located at 184 Dudley Street in Roxbury’s Dudley Square.
