Playwriting alumna Ayvaunn Penn ’18 is directing Associate Professor Lynn Nottage’s play Fabulation or, the Re-Education of Undine at Jubilee Theatre. The Jubilee Theatre is a historically Black theater located in Fort Worth, Texas.
“Fabulation is a social satire about an ambitious and haughty African American woman, Undine Barnes Calles, whose husband suddenly disappears after embezzling all of her money. Pregnant and on the brink of social and financial ruin, Undine retreats to her childhood home in Brooklyn’s Walt Whitman projects, only to discover that she must cope with a crude new reality. Undine faces the challenge of transforming her setbacks into small victories in a battle to reaffirm her right to be. Fabulation is a comeuppance tale with a comic twist.”
Fabulation runs from October 1 through October 24, 2021.
Additionally, Penn's film adaptation of her play For Bo: A Play Inspired By the Murder of Botham Jean By Officer Amber Guyger has been accepted for the Silicon Valley African Film Festival in Califorina, as well as the Gary International Black Film Festival in Indiana.
For Bo is a fictional narrative that unpacks the tragedy that befalls the Jones family when brother and son Bo Jones is murdered in his own home by police officer Amy Guy. Through contemporary free verse poetry, rhythm, and percussion, this play explores the issues leading to Bo Jones’ death and how society, particularly the African American community, grapples with the resulting trauma through social media. Most of all, For Bo reminds us of the monumental, life-changing weight of our decisions – that each thought and subsequent action has the power to change tomorrow for worse or for better. To learn more about For Bo and how you can advocate for positive social change through the #ForBo Initiative, visit TheForBoInitiative.com.
Both festivals for For Bo are taking place the weekend of October 8, 2021 and are offering select virtual screenings.
