Courtesy photo
The Department of Visual and Performing Arts will present its first production of the year Feb. 19-22 at 7 p.m. in the Floyd L. Sandle Theatre.
The play by Danai Gurira is titled “Eclipsed” and chronicles the struggles of five Liberian woman caught in the clutches of the warlords who take away their freedom and force them to be their servants and bear their children.
The production is directed by Karl Noman. David Kaul designed the set and Kim Jones designed the costumes.
The country of Liberia has a history with the United States in that former slaves who left the U.S. were relocated to the country. The capital of Liberia is named Monrovia after President James Monroe. The flag of Liberia has stars and stripes and looks a lot like the American flag.
The Liberian wars began with a military takeover of the government and continued on for almost twenty years. Warlords ruled the remote areas where they could establish their inhumane treatment of the women.
The women were forced to find shelter and a method of survival. The women are constantly surrounded by warring factions who can bring harm to them if they are not loyal to the strongest warlord. Caught in a trap in the middle of a war, the women must find bind together as they encounter incredible challenges and face the harsh conditions.
Throughout the play the writer demonstrates struggles the women face while they deal with living in a war-torn environment while picking over the spoils of war captured by the commanding officer who demands their complete loyalty. The women are constantly surrounded by warring factions who can bring harm to them if they are not loyal to the strongest warlord.
Admission for Grambling students is free with a school identification. General public admission prices are $5 for non-students and $1 for children. For more information, call 318-274-2201.