Demons, deceit, women in peril… and God?
Beyond Dramatic Productions presents Soul Sistah: D.I.V.A.‘Determined Individuals Voicing Attitude’
By Lakisha Sanders
FORT LAUDERDAEL, FL — On Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013, Beyond Dramatic Productions will stage its second theatrical production, Soul Sistah: D.I.V.A. “Determined Individuals Voicing Attitude.” Written, directed by, and starring local author and activist Lakisha Sanders, Soul Sistah: D.I.V.A. tells the story of various individuals, a once happy and healthy clan of individuals now faced with imminent dissolution in the wake of a far-too-familiar tragedy. In the chaos left in that tragedy’s wake, demonic forces threatten to rip their tenuous union apart in each of their lives. The play features original gospel-style musical numbers composed by Sanders. There is a popular misconception that Christian music and media is hokey and preachy, a misconception that this production handily refutes with its compelling and realistic characters, razor-sharp dialogue, and unflinching depiction of a crumbling Christian family.
Sanders pulls quadruple duty as the playwright, director, composer, and one of the stars in the production. Miss Sanders is a Georgia native and a Fort Lauderdale resident with nearly a decade of high school teaching experience. She’s an author, an advocate, and a motivational speaker specializing in empowering people who have experienced tragedy and loss by leading them to the philosophical truths present within the words of Jesus Christ. Her book, The Secret is Out: It’s Time to Break Ground, was released in 2010, and its message of power and salvation in the face of adversity became the foundation upon which Soul Sistah: D.I.V.A. was eventually built. The play also stars local talent from all across the beautiful city of Fort Lauderdale. These women offer a sizzling performance that remains unknown to many.
The one-day-only engagement will be at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) in the auditorium, 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The AARLCC auditorium has a long history of staging productions that celebrate African-American culture, a legacy to which Beyond Dramatic Productions is honored to add the latest chapter. Curtain is at 2 p.m. sharp.
