Meet the playwright at staged reading

Sonoma Arts Live Theater Company presents a staged reading of a new play on April 1. Only Some of God’s Children, or Mississippi Magnolias, by Paris Crayon III, is set two days after the civil rights march on Washington, DC, in 1963.

“I often tell stories of the LBGTQ experience, and this particular play came about after traveling to Mississippi with my grandmother and thinking of the play Fences, by August Wilson,” explains Crayton (above). ” I wondered what it would look like if characters Troy and Bono loved each other more than just friends. I’ve never seen older black men on stage showing affection for one another. The play is set in my grandmother’s hometown.”

SAL has been a proud team member of The Del Shores Foundation Writers Search, as readers, for two years. The contest seeks to highlight new Southern queer voices. During the pandemic, Del Shores raised funds for theaters across the country, and SAL was a grateful recipient. Shores is an award-winning American film director and producer, television writer and producer, playwright and actor.

Local actors Sam Minnifield, Aaron Royce Jones, Lindsay John, Lila Jackson, Jasmine Williams, and Keene Hudson will read. Stick around afterward for a talk-back with the playwright and actors.

7pm. Suggested donation of $10 at the door. Sonoma Community Center, Room 210, 276 E. Napa St.