This is the world premier of Nafeesa Monroes one woman show, Journey to Becoming a Super Woman. As spoken word artist her previous credits include opening for singer Jewel and appearing on HBOs Def Poetry. Monroe wrote the show, combining spoken word and theatrical elements, and it is directed by Anne Thomas Evans.
The journey in question is that of Nafeesas life. She was born to a German-Irish mother and a father of African-American and Haitian descent. The show follows Nafeesas struggle to find herself and her identity. In the opening piece, she tells us I havent always been a Black woman... when I was a kid I was a Black girl with a White mom in a White neighbourhood and all I wanted to be was White. We follow her ups and downs through some harrowing experiences and out the other side, to the realisation that she has within her the ability to become a Super Woman.
This is powerful stuff from a passionate performer, with the spoken word elements particularly strong. While it will specifically appeal to young women (as the High School students in the audience who gave a standing ovation will attest), this is a universal theme, one which you do not have to be a woman or of mixed ethnicity to empathise with. Dont be surprised if you find yourself wiping away tears at some points, and expect to leave the show chanting I am a super woman.