UK Theatre Alum Making Kentucky History on Stage With 'BrownGirl. Bluegrass.'

Trailer for "BrownGirl.Bluegrass."

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 1, 2015) — From the work on the stage to her return to Lexington, University of Kentucky theatre alumna Lacresha Berry is making history.

Berry, a Lexington native, is set to bring her show, "BrownGirl. Bluegrass.," back to her hometown for the fifth anniversary of the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center Oct. 6-7. The production is an autobiographical story that examines the cultural history of African Americans in Kentucky, honoring the work of her ancestors whose lives parallel her own, and a perfect fit for the city landmark.

"Before I left, the Lyric was still untouched. Its doors had been closed for years. I had only heard stories about its legacy. So, celebrating its fifth year after being revitalized makes me feel like I’m part of the legacy. It only makes sense that I come back to the Lyric because it's rooted in African-American history just like my play," Berry said.

"BrownGirl. Bluegrass." is a one-woman show with seven original songs evoking ideas of womanhood, family, love and race while pushing universal themes and intergenerational messages in each piece of poetry, prose and song. Through her work Berry blends the perspectives of her own childhood via Kentucky geography and personal events while honoring the work of important ancestors. Her take on the culture, geography and the history of Kentucky is poignant, didactic and enlightening as audiences see the historical figures of the past come to life with ancestral music as a soundtrack behind the powerful stories.

The passing of Berry's father in 2010, spurred the creative energy behind "BrownGirl. Bluegrass." The loss of her father made the playwright realize how much of her personal family history she didn't know. Inspired by the play "Affrilachia," she began to pen poems that talked about family history.

"I didn’t know it back then, that I, too, would be creating and performing monologues, poetry and music about my family and Kentucky’s forgotten ancestors."

A few years later, Berry would take her research further looking at integral individuals in Lexington's history. In 2013, she came home for a week to do research and to talk out her ideas for the show. She had written two songs already and took those to create the vibes of the play. With her idea in hand, she sat down in UK's Breckenridge Hall with poet Frank X Walker, now a professor of English at UK, and civil rights leader Chester Grundy, currently an administrator at UK College of Medicine, who then guided her on where to look, what to listen to, and who to talk to in finding local history resources.

"I was sent to Reinette Jones, an oral historian and African-American studies liaison at UK Libraries," Berry said. "We sat down for an hour or so searching for individuals from Kentucky who mirrored my experience as a woman of color in Kentucky. From there, I searched archives, books and websites scouring people and stories to add to the future show."

The individuals Berry chose to portray include jockey Oliver Lewis, who won the first Kentucky Derby; education advocate Lucy Harth Smith; and voting rights activist Robert Charles O'Hara Benjamin. She selected them because they inspired her and reminded her of her family.

"I turn into two Kentucky women and two Kentucky men. I found people whose voices were similar to mine. Throughout my years in school in Lexington, I never learned of anyone who looked like me in the history books. So, finding historical figures whose lives looked like mine made me realize that I’m not alone or crazy because what I’m doing or have done, has been done before," Berry said.

"BrownGirl. Bluegrass." premiered in New York City at Harlem's Dwyer Cultural Center in 2014. This year the production has been staged three times in New York at the Midwinter Madness Short Play Festival at Roy Arias Studios, the Gallatin Arts Festival at New York University (NYU) as part of the "#BlackLivesMatter Series Finale," and Dixon Place. It debuted in Washington D.C. this summer, at the DC Black Theater Festival and the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education.

Rounding out the crew for "BrownGirl. Bluegrass." is director and UK journalism graduate Shauna Horn, who Berry worked with in college, and composer David Cohn. For the Lexington performances, Berry's musical accompaniment will be provided by Jami Schumake-Young on piano, Jewan Clay on guitar and Marcus Wilkerson on handdrums.

Berry is excited to take audiences on this journey. She hopes after taking in the production they will feel a longing to know who they are.

"Identity is such a hot topic in the news right now," she said. "Once I embraced myself, stories came out of my body freely. My heart was open to give and receive. I think this Chief Seattle quote sums up best what it means to know who you are: 'When your mission is clear and you burn with the inner fire of unbreakable will. No cold can touch your heart, no deluge can dampen your purpose. You know that you are alive.'"

A 1997 graduate of Tates Creek High School, Berry chose UK for her undergraduate studies as a first generation college student who wanted to stay close to home. Her first experiences on campus as a child had only solidified that choice.

"My mother used to go to UK’s libraries all the time researching and reading so many books — I just became hooked to the campus. I even worked as a teenager during the summers in the dorms. All the workers treated me wonderfully. I definitely knew UK would be an affordable and exciting experience. The access to great academic facilities would be at my disposal, plus I am a huge UK basketball fan. It was only right that I chose UK. It was definitely an awesome experience," said the playwright.

Once she became a Wildcat, Berry would find a second family at UK's Department of Theatre (now the Department of Theatre and Dance).

"Nelson Fields was the first professor that made me feel at home — like, I was his daughter. He was firm with me because he saw something in me and he never let me give up. I shed lots of tears in his office when there were classes or projects I struggled with. He helped me find my costume design eye and urged me to apply to graduate school at NYU’s costume design department. On the performance side, Nancy Jones helped me to experiment with my body and voice. I bruised myself so many times just being totally committed to the characters I created in her classes. Bill Caise (a former theater faculty member and UK graduate) helped me to take risks and discover my creative writing," Berry said.

At UK, Berry's creative talents began to shine both on and off stage. She served as stage manager for UK Theatre's production of "Affrilachia," was a costume designer for "The Colored Museum" and "El Mundo de Los Suenos" and starred as Rosa Parks in "Buses." Berry also wrote two one-woman shows during her time in college.

"I gained so much knowledge in performing, designing and building sets that I was ready to take on the theatrical world. UK theatre department was small, but that made us more like a family. I loved my classmates and classes because I was allowed to be myself." 

After graduating from UK in 2003, Berry attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts where she studied costume design. She believes the combination more than prepared her for a career in the arts.

"UK gave me the fundamentals of theater. I delved into nearly every discipline. I built sets and worked in the costume shop for two years. I directed a few plays and wrote a few as well. I starred in my own shows and in the department produced shows. I graduated with a well-rounded foundation for theater. Tisch helped me to focus, get serious, and hone my design eye and skills. Even though I didn’t graduate from Tisch, the competitive nature never left me. Being in New York City, everyone is acting, singing, directing and designing, so I had to really buckle down and create a niche for myself that made sense. Tisch taught me that life after undergrad is no game."

A teacher, naturalista, playwright and singer/songwriter, Berry currently works as the musical director for BK Nation, a movement of people from all backgrounds that sparks projects and campaigns, led by the people, for the people. As part of BK Nation, she curates quarterly live music and culture sessions throughout New York City. Berry recently released her album, "Daddy's Girl" on iTunes, Amazon and CDBaby.

A creative success story, Berry suggests students wanting to follow in her footsteps put in the hours and learn to believe in themselves.

"I’d say to those students, practice makes progress. If you don’t practice, you won’t improve. If you don’t improve, you won’t get hired. You must hone your skills — period," Berry said. "Taking a class in undergrad is just the beginning. Develop a voice that is unique to your experience and go for it. Belief is a huge part of the success of any project. Believe in the work you’re doing and the positive energy will start to start to attract the right people and situations."

"BrownGirl. Bluegrass." will make its Lexington debut at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 6 and 7, at the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center. Both shows are free and open to the public. To reserve tickets, call the Lyric Box Office at 859-280-2218.

A day before the production is staged, the playwright will participate in a meet-and-greet at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, at Blue Stallion Brewing Co.

The Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center was a thriving entertainment centerpiece for Lexington's African-American families from 1948 to 1963. Before its closing, numerous small black-owned businesses were launched in and around the theatre as well. The Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center was reopened in October 2010 in an effort to preserve, promote and celebrate diverse cultures and community inclusion with a special emphasis on the African-American experience.

The UK Department of Theatre and Dance at UK College of Fine Arts has played an active role in the performance scene in Central Kentucky for more than 100 years. Students in the program get hands-on training and one-on-one mentorship from a renowned professional theatre faculty. The liberal arts focus of the bachelor's degree program is coupled with ongoing career counseling to ensure a successful transition from campus to professional life.

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu