The Emancipation of Ms. Lovely (2015)

The play follows Lovely on a search for love. We meet Lovely at different stages of development and at pivotal moments in her life as they relate to her understand- ing of herself as a Black woman, especially with the awakening of sexual identity. Her relationship with her body, men and sex becomes a trap she cannot see to escape–but how did she get there in the first place? Moving in and out of space and time we discover the generational reasons behind her confusion. The play mirrors personal stories with historical content and places them in a cultural and pop cultural modern context. Interweaving the story of Sarah Baartman (The Venus Hottentot) as a symbol for the historical image of black women’s sexuality, Lovely’s confusion, anger, cynicism and heartache resonate with Sarah’s experience, creating an echo effect. From the 21st century twerk to the “faux-cul” of the 19th century. We travel a musical landscape using movement, sound, dance and projection while reexamining our relationship with ourselves, our sex and the dark matter that binds us all. Lovely discovers that she has the power to break the cycle and become free, rejecting the image of herself that she’s been buying into, looking for self love and emancipation on her journey. (summerworks.ca)