Wounded Healers
After being selected to perform at the 2023 Midwest Region Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival with Minnesota State University Mankato’s Theater and Dance production, the play received 7 national awards including the Distinguished Performance Ensemble and Outstanding Production of a New Work!
In America, there is a need to understand precolonial Africa. However, due to systemic racism, Black bodies have been excluded from upward mobility, victimized by dehumanization, fallen prey to biased and racist policing practices, and plagued by disparities in health and education. Such conditions have led to internalizing toxic race-based stress, causing damage to the central nervous system. Yet, against all odds, Black bodies have creatively persisted and survived. Drawing upon a conceptual framework inspired by Tupac Shakur–imagery of roses growing through concrete–this story addresses historical trauma and creative resilience. Related to the oral tradition of African/Black Djalis, this spoken-word performance play focuses on five movements/historical periods that function as a chronology of Black bodies grappling with racialized trauma in America: (1) Chattel Hands and Feet; (2) Reconstruction: My Sin is My Skin; (3) The Great Migration: Running for Our Lives; (4) Civil Rights Without Democracy; and (5) Black Body Commodities and Wounded Healing. Combining multiple disciplines including, Africana/Black Studies, Critical Race Theory (CRT), History, Neuroscience, Music Composition, and Creative Writing, this work expresses the ways in which Black bodies have suffered, transcended their own pain, and fostered healing through creativity. A post-performance discussion is offered for audience members to engage in reflection and critical discourse with the writer, and performers. Drawing upon experiential education models for reflection, this discussion aims to inform audiences about the wounded healing process by better understanding the history and connection between structural racism, body trauma, and self healing.
Wounded Healers Reviews
From Audience Members
"I wanted to say thank you again for the performance yesterday. I have much to reflect on. I appreciate so many facets of the performance, many mentioned by the audience. I thought it important that you opened with portrayal of those to be enslaved as leaders of their communities, fathers, brave men. It is often something that gets neglected when launching the discussion of slavery. My hope is to evolve as a coconspirator. I believe it is incumbent on us as white people to be involved in antiracism work - dismantle the systems that promote racism, and work toward equity for all."
Sincerely,
Erika
"Must See
Everyone should see this show. Beautifully scored and performed with the most raw and courageous hearts. Black stories being told by black artists. With so many politically charged, rageful shows at Fringe this year, most of which are being performed by white artists, make space to hear the voices that matter most when it comes to the black experience of America." - Kelly D
"Just a quick note to say, again, congratulations on your amazing work! So powerful, insightful, compelling, visceral, sad, scary, depressing, uplifting and hopeful at different turns. An incredible blend of music, spoken word, staging and scenery: a tour de force of theatrical elements skillfully brought together to produce a stunning emotional journey. Thank you for having the courage to share your mind and body so intelligently and intimately.
Congratulations."
Dan S.
"The history of black music as an overlay was brilliant. It illustrated resilience and joy. From a strictly theatrical perspective, it also gave the audience a deeper physical connection to the storytelling, and it threaded a theme of hope through the whole production." - Audience Member
“I attended the just concluded performance; Overcoming by Word of Our Testimonies: Black Male, Wounded Healers by Timothy Berry. This piece was really captivating and spoke to my essence. Never have I felt deeply connected to the narrative of Slavery and the Translucent Reconstruction that followed as I did with this piece.” – Audience Member