Essential Theatre’s Dissonance at The Black Box Theatre
The Black Box Theatre at the Anacostia Arts Center hosted Essential Theatre’s 90-minute production of Dissonance from May 30 to June 11.
Marci J. Duncan’s play, performed and developed in concert with actress Kerry Sandel, is dedicated to the murder of George Floyd and the conversations surrounding the event. The play unravels the emotional journey of two friends across the racial divide.
“The genesis of this play was a conversation Sandel and Duncan had in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder by members of the Minneapolis Police,” reports writer Andrew White who reviewed the play. “Both recognized that there were gaps in their understanding of each other, and both knew that it was that lack of mutual understanding that was contributing to racial tensions—across the country, not just in Minneapolis. Together, these talented artists have created a space where we can laugh together, groan together, and understand each other in ways that may not have seemed possible.”