ST. LOUIS — Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective’s new script for “The Why of My City” follows Wanda, a young Black woman who comes back to St. Louis after graduating high school. Upon returning she becomes interested in exploring new opportunities.
However, a well-known gangster named Zoot Suit tries to persuade her to work for him. Wanda’s community comes together in saving her from making a life-changing mistake. Historic St. Louisans Scott Joplin, Madam C.J. Walker, James “Cool Papa” Bell, and Tina Turner rally around her to save her from Zoot Suit’s dangerous plans.
According to a release, “The Why of My City” is “a multi-year signature program that captures and documents pieces of Black history through written word and art while training the next generation to become active, engaged citizens.”
The Collective’s goal is for programs “to become a force multiplier, rippling into families, schools, and neighborhoods, offering solutions to common urban problems.”
The Collective commissioned playwright Mario Farwell to write a new script focused on St. Louis’ Black neighborhoods and historic figures.
Farwell said he wants the audiences to take away that St. Louis can be what you make it.
“If you put energy and effort into making something good out of St. Louis you could have a good effect. There’s a lot of opportunities in St. Louis. You just have to work at making them happen for you. I didn't want to have a didactic, this is what happened, that happened,” Farwell said.
“I wanted a more entertaining piece of theater that people come out and watch. I also wanted to have some historical knowledge they take from the play and how these characters relate to the difficulties of life in St. Louis, and the upshot of really taking control of your life.”
Susan Colangelo, Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective president & CEO, said Farwell penned a masterful script.
“I think he did a very good job of pulling all disparate parts together into one cohesive storyline that's fun and has some lessons in it, while bringing historic figures to life,” Colangelo said.
In conjunction with “The Why of My City,” Story Stitchers is producing StitchCast Studio Special Edition podcast recordings about Black historic sites in St. Louis.
The Divided City organization is providing additional support, and the recordings will be released in the coming months.
Bobby Norfolk, three-time Emmy-winner and Story Stitchers artist-in-residence, called the new script “long overdue.”
“It resonates throughout St. Louis’ Black communities,” Norfolk said. “Through performance art we hope to bring all these things to the forefront.”
Auditions and interviews for The Why of My City are at 6 p.m. May 10 at The Center, 3701 Grandel Square, 1A, St. Louis, MO 63019. Casting Call and Auditions are at noon May 13, and call backs are at 6 p.m.
Register for auditions with the director, Gregory S. Carr, at https://storystitchers.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/the-why -of-my-city-casting-call.
The Why of My City takes stage June 15-16 at 7 p.m., at .ZACK Theatre located at 3224 Locust Street. Tickets are $10 and available at https://www.metrotix.com/events/detail/saint-louis-story-stitchers-the-why-of-my-city.
For more information about The Why of My City program, visit https://storystitchers.org/the-why-of-my-city/.