
Fort Monroe’s Old Point Comfort could be considered “sacred ground,” or even “ground zero” as the place where native Africans first encountered English settlers in Virginia 400 years ago.
The institution would shape our nation to become what it is today, but who were those people and what did they see when they stepped off the ship in 1619?
In his production of 1619, When Destinies Collide, Gary Spell said the goal is to bridge the gap between cultures by giving audiences an up-close and personal view of the m-bundu people with two free performances at the Fort Monroe Theater Nov. 22.
“It’s really easy to be judgmental of people from a distance…when something gets close we view it differently,” Spell said. “Especially with this story, it comes close and you get to know who the people were and their impact.”
Spell wrote, directed, and produced the play that originally premiered last summer at the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, but by means of the Virginia General Assembly’s Finale Grant partnered with Fort Monroe and the city of Hampton, was allowed to come “home to Hampton.”
Acclaimed for his compositions, Witch of Pungo and fully-staged production, Ella: The life and music of Ella Fitzgerald, Spell said writing 1619, When Destinies Collide was unique in that he knew who he wanted for the cast of two, Michael Lemelle and Lisa Hernandez, before he ever started writing the story and keeping the actors involved along the way.
“Rehearsals were challenging because we just couldn’t get through a scene without someone shedding tears,” he said. “It’s so personal and powerful — we knew we were doing something very special.”
The free performances are at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 22 at the Fort Monroe theater where seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Find more information and tickets for 1619, When Destinies Collide or, the “story of lives and cultures interrupted and destinies grafted together,” by clicking here.