Written by: Talib Andre
Directed by: Talib Andre
Theater Company: UPRISING PRODUCTIONS, LLC

"Second Chance" written and directed Talib Andre is an absurdist play with R&B/Gospel music about a living couple hoping to infuse joy and romance into their marriage by renewing their wedding vows and a deceased couple wanting to show that there is still love in the world. The piece will be presented by Theater for the New City as part of its 2019 Dream Up Festival on August 28 to September 11 for its New York debut, directed by the author.

The story begins in Heaven, with married couple Aunt Nancy and Uncle Pelli being sent down to Earth by God so they can show him that the four loves--storge, agape, eros and philia--are still alive in a world that seems to be plagued with the senseless acts of violence reported each day. To show that love still exists, Nancy and Pelli go to their living relatives, Marcellus and Nefertit Evers, who after being married for seven years are preparing to renew their wedding vows. Although both are very excited to renew their vows, they each have a different take on what this ceremony means. For Nefertiti, renewing vows is a familial tradition that was passed down from her parents. However, Marcellus is worried that his wife's insistence on this ritual is a sign that she's has doubts about his love for her. It drives him to very risky actions to prove otherwise. All the while, the couple is helping to prepare the wedding of Marcellus' younger sister, Naima, who along with suffering from bipolar depression, is also worried about her fiancé being faithful to her.

 

Talib Andre is a Philadelphia native who is currently residing in New York City. He holds an AA in Communications/Theater Option from the Community College of Philadelphia, a BA in Theater Arts/English Concentration from Cheyney University, and an MA in Urban Studies/Arts in Transformation from Eastern University. He is an accomplished arts program coordinator and educator. In addition to "Second Chance," he has directed "A Journey Through African Folklore," "A Dance Tribute to Michael & Janet Jackson," "Scenes, Songs, and Monologues," "Drama Therapy," and "Nobody Famous." He has acted in the films "The Dark Field," "When Night Catches Us," "Sex and The City 2," and "Law Abiding Citizen," TV's "Ugly Betty," Lights Out," "Z-Rock," and "Power," and onstage in "An Evening with Neil Simon," "Laramie Project," "Broadway Our Way," and "Ain't Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round."