When the house lights go dark at Woolly Mammoth in Northwest D.C., signaling the start of “The Great Privation (How to flip ten cents into a dollar),” audiences are taken on a time-traveling journey as characters confront the realities of racism, health and economic disparities, taboo conversations, and buried truths.
Set on a burial ground turned campsite, the new work by Nia Akilah Robinson, running at Woolly Mammoth until Oct. 12, reveals how time and the truth catches up to people and — through a struggling and grieving mother-daughter duo in the 1830s and modern-day colleagues at a summer camp — showcases the ever-true tale of people working to survive despite hard times.
“‘The Great Privation,’ for me, alludes to the great lack of resources. And the second part of the title is ‘How to flip ten cents into a dollar,’ which is what was taught to me by my parents,” said Robinson in a question-and-answer interview with Woolly Mammoth. “When you have a dollar and you can only buy some franks from the store, how do you make it look really nice on your dinner table? How do you take what you have and make it beautiful?”
Further, the play highlights the incredible power that comes with unearthing narratives.
“With humor and wit, this play powerfully exhumes buried histories around medical advancements and celebrates African American legacies of resistance and resilience across time,” Kristen B. Jackson, Woolly’s associate artistic director and director of connectivity, said in a joint statement with the Interim Artistic Collective, a group supporting the theatre’s current and upcoming season during the artistic leadership transition. “It invites audience members into complex conversations about bodily autonomy, racial justice, scientific consent, and the ethical implications of scientific advancement.”
Directed by Mina Morita, creative director, BOLD resident director and member of the Interim Artistic Collective at Woolly Mammoth, “The Great Privation (How to flip ten cents into a dollar)” is more than a chance to witness a new work, but a dive into the past, allowing audience members to analyze progress and consider how they work to survive despite trials.
Further, the play allows for audiences to consider the importance of preserving truths at a time when the Trump administration has: erased federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming; revoked funding from minority serving institutions; and works to remove parts of Black– and American, for that matter– history from institutions like the Smithsonian.
“As we round the corner to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we have an opportunity to reflect on our nation’s past and envision futures of our own making,” continued Jackson and the collective. “From our vantage point, ‘The Great Privation (How to flip ten cents into a dollar)’ is a quintessentially American story perfectly suited for this moment.”
Keeping Traditions, Working to Survive, Preserving Memories
The engaging performances from Yetunde Felix-Ukwu (Mother/Modern-Day Mother) and Victoria Omoregie (Charity/Modern-Day Charity), as the mother-daughter duo of the past and today, Zack Powell (John/Modern-Day John) and and Marc Pierre (Janitor/Cuffee), reinforce the ideas that: people will do what they feel necessary for survival; there are no coincidences; and buried truths will always come to the surface.
Without giving away any spoilers, the mother and daughter of the past are grieving after the death of the family patriarch and the modern-day duo are away from their Harlem home, caring for a sick family member. With skilled acting and technical design choices, the mother and daughter are clearly different in the 1830s and today. Further, the two meet nuanced characters along the way, who not only contribute to the storyline, but add to the tension and humor.
All of the actors’ bold and distinguishable acting choices, vibrant costume design by Brandee Mathies, detailed scenic design by Meghan Raham, and mood-setting lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker, allowed for seamless transitions between the past and present.
For Robinson, writing the play was a way to reflect on hidden stories and her own past.
“Growing up, I always had interesting conversations with both parents and one of those topics ended up being grave robbing. I remember being horrified by the topic and also intrigued by its history. I also knew that I was trying to write a play for my 16 or 13-year-old self. What would I be entertained by? What would I enjoy? I am someone who enjoys laughing,” the playwright explained. “The 1832 nature of it all was my first entry into the play. But the modern-day journey came from wanting to give to my younger self.”
A co-production with Boston’s Company One Theatre, Woolly’s “The Great Privation (How to flip ten cents into a dollar),” is a 1-hour-and-40-minute production, with no intermission, that allows audiences to confront their truths, while laughing and sometimes even clapping along the way.
“As with most productions at Woolly Mammoth, ‘The Great Privation’ expands the boundaries of our understanding and speaks powerfully to our present realities. It lingers—demanding reflection long after the lights dim,” said the Rev. Thomas Bowen, who recently hosted a staged reading at Woolly Mammoth of August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean,” in honor of his 60th birthday and in support of the theatre. “Nia Akilah Robinson reminds us that history is never past, and memory is both a burden and a blessing we are called to steward.”
For tickets and more information, go to woollymammoth.net.