Did you know that Gospel Bird and Sunday Cluck are nicknames for fried chicken? If so, you are probably aware of the close cultural bond between chicken and the African American culture. When people in South and Southeast Asia first domesticated the jungle fowl and ancestor of today’s chicken, they considered them divine and valued birds for their ability to predict the future. In fact, some believe that this trait – and not the tasty entrée they represent – might be what caused people to domesticate chickens in the first place. Over the millennia, merchants introduced this wondrous animal to customers all over the world. After all, chickens had the ability to tell the future, could entertain with cock fighting, and, besides, were pretty good eating.
Tagger Skomsky, Darien Sills-Evans, and LaVonna Miller – Photo by Steve Royall
When chickens were introduced to West Africa over a thousand years ago, they proved to be a sensation. Soon they were used for food, entertainment, and religious ceremonies; and chicken was often considered a sacred food. When enslaved African Americans were brought to the Americas, their religious and culinary beliefs came with them. After the Emancipation, the popularity of fried chicken at religious/church meals increased even more as a source of both spiritual and social life in cities and rural areas. Today, fried chicken may be less about church and more about family. In any case, it has become a staple of African American life.
Lanett Tachel, LaVonna Miller, and Lavel Schley – Photo by Steve Royall
When playwright Marcus Folmar saw “Husk” in New York, he was inspired to ferret out something that had a cultural meaning for African Americans – and what better item than chicken? Thus began Folmar’s journey collecting anecdotal stories about events featuring chickens. He assembled many of these tales – sometimes true, sometimes fictitious, sometimes apocryphal – into CHICKEN STORIES, a world premiere comedy opening in Los Angeles in 2024. To quote writer/director Folmar, “(CHICKEN STORIES is) A collection of hilarious and at times biting vignettes that examine the culture and times through the unexpected yet undeniably relatable (and historically relevant) lens of chicken.”
Folmar recounts numerous comic stories about African Americans and their encounter with chickens. He emphasizes how chicken brings people together – families, friends, neighbors, schoolmates, coworkers. At the same time, chickens can create tension: “My mother’s chicken is better than your mother’s chicken.” Also tension when commercialized in restaurants: “Which restaurant makes better wings?”
CHICKEN STORIES features a number of talented actors, including Lanett Tachel, Darien Sills-Evans, Maurice G. Smith, Lavel Schley, LaVonna Miller, JP Payton, Colin McGurk, and John Marshall Jones (only on Saturdays) as Papa Creole, the purveyor of grandma’s wisdom. The ensemble cast does a notable job of changing hats with the large number of skits ranging from minutes to longer.
CHICKEN STORIES is a fascinating journey into what makes African-Americans tick (at least as far as chickens represent a cultural glue). At times, however, there is an inside quality to some of the jokes which an audience member who is not African American may find confusing. It would have been useful to provide a glossary of some of the terms which the Black audience members immediately related to with hilarity and which went over the heads of some others. The author might also consider cutting out some of the very short vignettes to focus on the “meatier” ones – and also shorten the running time a bit.
CHICKEN STORIES will definitely appeal to Black audiences, as well as to audiences fascinated and entertained by cultural issues and comic tales. CHICKEN STORIES is a clever, creative approach to cultural issues and should be lauded.
A special note about the opening night. Chicken wings, collard greens, and lots of other goodies were provided for the audience, and – at the intermission – there were yummy Southern-style desserts. The way to this reviewer’s heart might just be through her stomach!
CHICKEN STORIES runs through August 18, 2024, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and at 3 p.m. on Sundays. The Broadwater Main Stage is located at 1076 Lillian Way, Hollywood, CA 90028. Tickets are $35. For information and reservations, go online.
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