The University of Kentucky’s Department of Theatre and Dance began its five-day run of “cullud wattah” in late October.
The show, written by playwright Erika Dickerson-Despenza, focuses on three generations of Black women struggling to survive during the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
UK’s production of “cullud wattah” opened its doors on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the Briggs Theatre.
At the beginning of the show, audience members were encouraged to place a water bottle filled with dirty water on the front of the stage.
This impactful interaction represented how the water crisis was engulfing the family and gave the audience an up-close look at the life of the Cooper family.
The production was directed by Jeremy Gillet, an assistant professor of acting.
Gillett is in his third year of directing at UK, and in 2023, he directed the show “Fairview,” which explores racism and the effects of the white gaze on people of color.
“I want it to open their eyes,” Naomi Daniels, a sophomore majoring in theatre, said. “I want them to understand that environmental racism is a real thing, and that these things are still happening even though they don’t see them anymore. And there are things that we can do about that,” Daniels said.
Daniels plays Reesee, a teenager who is struggling with the effects of lead poisoning from Flint’s water supply.
“We’re tired going through this process, just learning about it, but there are people actually living through this,” Daniels said. “So, you can just imagine how exhausting it is for them.”
Another actor, Semajé Thornton who plays Big Ma, the grandmother of Reesee, provided an insight into the show as well.
“What’s so special about this show is how it’s formatted for one,” Thornton said. “We start at the end and then reset to tell you how we got there, but even then, we end in a world where Plum doesn’t get out of the tub as opposed to our first scene where she’s saved. We end in a world where the help comes too late. We end in reality.”
