LUMBERTON — People often say it’s easier to forget than it is to forgive.
Apostle Ellie M. Baker and True Believers Church of the Almighty God is hoping to show that forgiveness is needed to cope with tragedy through their play “If Only You Could Forgive” on May 7 at 7 p.m.
“When you are faced with a tragedy caused by an individual or individuals, forgiveness needs to be prevalent if you are to move on from what has happened,” said Baker, who wrote the play. “Without forgiveness, you become stagnant in a place that you can’t get out of. Staying in that place causes you to become bitter, angry and cold. Retaliation becomes your common goal. Learning to forgive releases you from a move that you may make that you will later regret.”
Baker is a long-time playwright in the Lumberton community and is known for tackling sensitive subjects through her plays. For “If Only You Could Forgive,” Baker allowed much of the cast to keep their own names.
In “If Only You Could Forgive,” Baker presents a young woman, played by Tamika Brixton, who escapes a violent gang, exchanges her bullets for a Bible and gives her life to God. Everything seems to be going well. She has a career, a nice life and a fiance who loves her dearly.
But tragedy strikes as her mother is murdered by the gang in retaliation. The young woman struggles with forgiveness as she deals with the loss of her mother. But, with the help of family and the witty and comical Stomp sisters, the young woman’s hardened heart may grow soft with forgiveness.
Brixton, who compared Baker’s play to Tyler Perry plays, said that, although there are breaks of comic relief from the Stomp sisters, which are featured in all of Baker’s plays, “If Only You Could Forgive” deals with an issue prevalent in Robeson County — gang-related violence.
“Right here in Robeson County, we’re dealing with gang violence and violence in general and we are hoping the play can reach out to people,” said Brixton. “We are hoping people will get saved from this experience and learn that we have to forgive.”
The cast includes Margorico Brixton as the fiance; Nia Leak as the aunt; Michele Cathcart as the mother; Alicia McKinnon, Nicola Mason and Sharon Alleyne as gang members Tater, Boss and Georgia Girl; and Adrian Arnette, Prophet Sanora Goodman and Evangelist Beverly Gillespie as the Stomp Sisters.
The play will be presented in Lumberton Junior High School’s Auditorium, located at 82 Marion Road, Lumberton. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door, $5 for children aged 5 to 10 and free for children 4 years old and younger. For information, or to learn how to purchase a ticket, call 910-797-0950 or 910-258-5134.
