The Amen Corner

Event Details

The Amen Comer takes place in a "corner" church in Harlem and an adjacent apartment where Sister Margaret Anderson, the church’s pastor, her son, David, and her sister Odessa live. After giving a fiery Sunday morning sermon, Margaret is confronted by the unexpected arrival of her long-estranged husband, Luke, who collapses from illness shortly thereafter. Their son, David, along with several elders of the congregation, learn from Luke that, while Margaret had led everyone to believe that he had abandoned her with their son years ago, it was in fact Margaret who had left Luke in pursuit of a purely religious life. This information precipitates confrontations between Margaret and her son, her congregation, and her estranged husband, regarding what they see as the hypocritical nature of her religious convictions, which she uses to justify the breakup of her family. After an important conversation with his dying father, David informs Margaret that he is leaving home to pursue his calling as a jazz musician. While dying, Luke declares to Margaret that he has always loved her, and that she should not have left him. Finally, Margaret's congregation decides to oust her, based on their perception that she unjustly ruined her own family in the name of religion. Only after losing her son, her husband, and her congregation, does Margaret finally realize that she should not have used religion as an excuse to escape the struggles of life and love, but that "To love the Lord is to love all His children all of them, everyone! and suffer with them and rejoice with them and never count the cost!"
The Amen Corner addresses themes of the role of the church in the African-American family, the complex relationship between religion and earthly love, and the effect of a poverty born of racial prejudice on the African-American community.
The Ensemble cast, under the directions of Art Gilliard, Founding Artistic Director of Art Forms & Theatre Concepts, Inc. is one of the most poignant and popular, well-crafted dramas to hit the stages in quite some time. This production is simply unforgettable.

This production also marks Art Forms’ 21st season since its founding in 1995. The production features Michele Powe as Sister Margaret, Jordan Jones as her son David and Denise Jones as a loyal sister Odessa. The production also features Tiffany “Lovely Brown” Summer, E. Dominique Henry, Saralyn Ortiz, Kiara Smith, Timberly K. Simmons and Christopher Thurman. The very electric ensemble cast tells a truly beautiful story.

“THE AMEN CORNER” opens at The Historic Footlight Players Theatre, 20 Queen Street in downtown Charleston.

Performance Schedule
Saturday, June 3rd at 8 pm
Thursday, June 8th at 8 pm
Friday, June 9th at 4 pm
Saturday, June 10th at 4 pm
Sunday, June 11th at 4 pm

TICKETS ON SALE Soon.