‘No Ordinary Days’ is extraordinary theater

The Negro Ensemble Company is presenting a new work by Jeannette Hill, “No Ordinary Days” is extraordinary theater. It beautifully tackles the issue of mental illness in our community, and how it is often not addressed among Black people. This play takes a tender, spiritual, understanding, and compassionate approach to an issue that Black families tend to try to ignore or hide. In our communities, we are taught that there is a stigma related to mental illness and depression. We are taught to just deal with whatever is going on and stay strong, but what happens when that can’t be the answer?

Hill presents us with a family living in one house. The family matriarch, Miriam, is currently in a hospital, and her children all have their own struggles to contend with. Janey is raising her son Josh and trying to keep him safe and protected. Josh, 15, is aware of the violence and the issues going on in his community. David, Janey’s brother, is a veteran suffering from PTSD who self-medicates with marijuana and alcohol, and who experiences periodic episodes where he becomes violent. Janey has a sister named Simone, who is a successful, ambitious businesswoman who is so caught up in wanting to be successful that she gave up custody of her daughter to her husband Sterling so that she could focus on her career.

It is quite interesting to find out how each of these characters feels about the matriarch’s exeriencing having a nervous breakdown. The person who is not only disturbed by it, but completely disapproves of it is Simone. She feels let down by her mother’s inability to stay strong. What I love about this play is that Hill lets the audience see Miriam now that she is better, and who talks with a lot of sense and a spirituality that says she knows she has a way to go to get better, but that she also knows she has nothing to be ashamed of.

Miriam and her daughter Janey have a strong faith in God and they believe that God will help them all through the trials and tribulations that this family is experiencing. When David has his episodes of being out-of-control his mother takes it to God in prayer. When Simone not only constantly avoids dealing with her mother — and when she does deal with her, does so in a disrespectful way — Miriam has the love, understanding, and common sense to know that she needs to take this to God in prayer and have compassion for her daughter, not judgment.

As we watch the issues with Simone escalate, it is obvious that life has become overwhelming, that she is in denial about a lot of the problems in her life. The way that this family sticks together and supports each other is so admirable, and is also an example of how Black families do not waver in the support of our relatives, no matter what is going on. It is also a clarion call to people with mental illness and their family members that this is not something to ignore or hide. There are services out there to help, and they should be taken advantage of. The road to recovery may not be easy, but it is possible. This play carries a message of hope and awareness for an immense issue in our communities that can have a positive outcome.

“No Ordinary Days” is a therapeutic experience, a healing drama that will leave you thinking about a better way to approach mental illness and depression. The cast of this production is compassionately and brilliantly lead by Johnnie Mae Allen who plays Miriam. This veteran actress brings a powerful delivery to this role, she displays an empathy that moves the soul. I must admit that when I saw the ad for this play and I saw Johnnie Mae I knew I had to see it. Johnnie Mae is always a force to be reckoned with every time she takes the stage and she performs with such heart, she takes your breath away. Wadiah Waliah does a tremendous job as Simone. You watch as her very troubled character plummets down a rabbit hole of arrogance, anger, disappointment, and denial. Waliah skillfully takes you through every emotion that character experiences and makes you care. Kenya Wilson is stunning as Janey. Her character has a strong foundation in faith, love and common sense. Wilson has always demonstrated her total investment in every character that she plays. She always brings great passion, heart and humor to her roles. Here she does it again, along with a strong feeling of responsibility to do right by her son Josh, as a single mother. Lamar K. Cheston can be funny, but also disturbingly intense as David. Cheston demands your attention and sustains it with every scene he is in. He demonstrates the levels of complexity that can make up a Black war veteran. Demetrius Haynes is poignant as Joshua. He is a fifteen-year-old who is trying to show that he is not a child and he does not need to be protected. Plus, it’s too late for that, he already knows the bad things happening in the world. Kenneth Browing is riveting as Sterling, Simone ex-husband. He delivers this character with a common sense, caring and empathetic approach, as he raises their daughter. He knows what is important when raising a child and that is giving them quality time, not material things. David Roberts is wonderful as he plays duel roles as Pastor Gilmore/Kenny. Roberts as Pastor Gilmore is very supportive of Miriam and her family. As Kenny, a brief love interest of Simone, he is quite funny. Tatiana Scott delivers a memorable performance as Zenobia, Simone best friend, who sees Simone change before her eyes and tries to be that voice of reason.

When you put all the elements of this story together along with the actors’ flowing deliveries, you also have to give credit to the play’s director Reginald L. Wilson whose distinctive and delicate leadership, allows the audience to take this journey will the cast and come out enlightened and inspired.  The production features set design by Angel Smith, set design & Props by Christopher Cumberbatch, sound design by Linwood Booker, costume design by Katherine Roberson and lighting design by Leila Wright.  “No Ordinary Days” is playing at the Gene Frankel Theatre at 24 Bond Street, but only through June 14^th. Please make plans to go and experience this healing work. For tickets visit necinc.org.

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