Last night I attended the preview showing of No Child Presented By The Cape Fear Regional Theatre. CFRT has once again amazed me with their ability to take a production and push it beyond the levels of expectation. From set design and casting to the energy they put into each performance I am never disappointed when I step into our hometown theatre.

No Child is based on the lives of several high school students attending Malcolm X High School in the Bronx, New York in 2006.  If you guys know me at all you know I’m Bronx born and raised so this play had my attention from the start.

Playwright Nilaja Sun tells the story of students struggling to understand why their circumstances seem to dictate their futures as the adults around them fight to offer them hope and motivation to change that narrative.

Originally performed as a solo play No Child was an off-Broadway production at the Barrow Street Theatre from July 2006 – June 2007.

Director Kaja Dunn and CFRT have taken it in a new direction with a cast of 5 playing the roles of 16 different characters! Yeah, I’ll talk more about that in a bit but first . . .

If you’re a Cape Fear Regional Theatre regular you know we normally enter the theatre to the right of the lobby, up a flight of stairs and down the row to our plush red seats. Except for this time we were lead to the left of the lobby, down the hall and – wait for it – backstage!

No Child is an exception to the rules. CFRT has designed the set to make the audience part of the play. Seats are placed directly on the stage. We were so close I could have – and may have been tempted to – reach out and touch and/or hug the actors. This intimate arrangement brought me into the story. I no longer felt as if I were watching a play but more like I was part of the classroom watching as Ms. Sun gave discipline to the worse class in the school’, Coca gave drama and Phillip found his voice – or his tongue (you’ll get it once you see the play!).

Back to the whole 5 member cast thing, I mentioned above. Most plays or musicals have a stage-length cast member roll call at the end of a show. In the CFRT production of No Child part of the intimacy came in the fact that there were only 5 actors on the stage despite there being over 15 different characters within the story.

There are moments in the play when one actor will switch between two different characters in a matter of seconds. Here’s the thing. It wasn’t a simple line change. Each actor gave each of their characters their own personality traits, quirks, mannerisms, speech patterns and more. It was as if sitting there we would witness a new character take the stage despite it being the same actor. In case you can’t tell – I’m still a bit in awe of this!

Have you ever read the descriptions for CFRT Productions? They always include a ‘who will love it‘ section. I love it! It lets me know if the play is family-friendly, a chick play or in this case a great way to show appreciation to a teacher in your life!

As someone who has two Aunts who have been teachers for over 20 years each, I have witnessed the long nights, struggles, frustrations and determination it takes to be a teacher who makes not only a difference but a lasting impact. I can remember the times where I saw them struggling to get lesson plans prepared or grade papers in the middle of the night because the normal school day simply didn’t have enough hours. Yet I’ve also seen them cry tears of joy when a student excelled who no one expected to.

I immediately decided I had to bring a teacher so I reached out to a woman who has been a Cumberland County teacher for 17 years. She taught my oldest daughter for two years and has become a part of our family. Her encouragement, support and ability to see who my children and as well as who they can be are something I am forever grateful for.

Watching her reactions throughout the play was almost as inspirational to me as a play itself. I watched as my friend – a teacher as not only understood but related to each part of her [Ms. Sun’s] journey because it has been a part of her own. In her words . . .

In case reading all of what I had to say above isn’t enough to convince you to get your tickets to No Child here’s a snippet of what I had to say about it during this morning’s segment of “What’s Going On Fayetteville”:

That’s right! No Child has received the Official MrsTee Stamp of Approval! I recommend this to anyone who has a heart for children and cultivating their potential through support and education.

Oh! Before I forget last night CFRT took the time to present the winners of their Teacher’s Appreciation Giveaway. It was truly amazing to see our local educators recognized for what they do in such a visible way!

Getting your tickets to No Child is really easy! Click HERE for showtimes, prices and don’t forget this play closes November 17th so don’t miss it!

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