CSP Bluelight Series Reading of THE BUZZER written by CHANDRA THOMAS

Join us for an evening of captivating storytelling at the Queens Public Library at Forest Hills (this event is presented in partnership with Queens Public Library).

Conch Shell Productions is proud to spotlight a powerful Caribbean heritage voices reshaping American theatre, CHANDRA THOMAS, a writer of character-driven stories centering people pushed to the margins

"As a Black woman from Caribbean immigrants, i found myself wrestling with my sense of identity and defining my place in a world that didn’t/doesn’t always celebrate my uniqueness. This drove me to theatre. i write character-driven stories that center people pushed to the margins, always with a blend of humor and heart, often weaving in poetic language along the way."

AMELIA and her longtime partner MATTHEW are applying to foster a kid. The Newark homeowners, though of color, are considered part of the gentrifying wave that's radically changing the city. They are reminded of this fact loudly and often by their sole tenant, OCTAVIA. The couple navigates the surprise of Amelia's ex, DAVIDA unexpectedly showing up to evaluate the couple's foster application. When young TALARIQ becomes AMELIA and MATTHEW’s foster son, the couple's collective and individual understandings of class, race/ethnicity, family, sexuality and love are strained and tested.

Language: English

THEMES EXPLORED:

class, race/ethnicity, family, sexuality and love

Born and raised New Yorker, chandra thomas is an award-winning writer-actor-producer. As a playwright, her work has been presented at Primary Stages, McCarter Theatre, Barrow Group, Naked Angels, Echo Theater, Downtown Urban Theatre Festival, Vivid Stage, Passage Theatre, among others. This play, THE BUZZER, was a Featured Finalist for the Blue Ink Playwriting Award. Also a television and film writer, her credits include Emmy Award-winning comedy, MOM. chandra earned her MFA in Acting from Columbia University. Keeping in the tradition of her Jamaican immigrant family, chandra’s writing blends humor with heart and bite.

At Conch Shell Productions (CSP), our mission is to awaken American audiences to the unique voices of emerging Caribbean heritage playwrights and screenwriters.

Immerse yourself in the world of literature and experience the power of theatre firsthand.

See you there!

This event is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Queens Public Library at Forest Hills, 108-19 71st Avenue, Queens, United States