Any1man is...
Any1Man is a one man show starring George A. Peters, II. This performance is the most powerful and insightful piece of one person theater since Whoopi Goldberg's "Direct from Broadway". Through the portrayal of five different characters, this one-man show dissects society’s definitions of masculinity and takes a peek into the lives and hardships of Black men. The script was inspired by the issues facing Black men today. As the achievement gap between Black men and women continues to widen, Any1man presents five unique men and examines their fears, dreams and hang-ups as they tackle life, love and adversity.
The show, which has sold-out theaters in Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Dallas has shown in limited engagements at New York’s Tribeca Center for the Performing Arts. Co-written by Peters and partner B! Fontenot Johnson, the show, produced by After 5 before 9 productions is effectively self-directed.
Comprised solely of alumni of Morehouse College, After 5 Before 9 Productions is a production company that specializes in the coordination and commissioning of performance pieces that both speak to and further cultural understanding. With Any1Man, their inaugural effort, this growing company seeks to make available both the tools and space in which an artist can be comfortable enough to create and share.
“Black Men face a unique set of challenges in America today,” commented presidential hopeful, Senator Barack Obama, “Any1man is engaging in difficult issues head on.”
Says, writer and reviewer Rozalynn S. Frazier, "To experience Any1Man is to step inside the minds of its five characters—the weak willed Adam who succumbs to woman’s temptation leading to his damnation by God; Berated by his mother, Willie is a victim of his mother’s resentment born out of his resemblance to his father; the artistic Wesley cast aside by his parents for his brazen homosexuality; Man-Tan’s ostentatious appearance reveals his loose grip on reality; and Bishop the educated vagrant who flirts with schizophrenia and is subject to judgment from passersby— as George A. Peters, II walks the audience through a particular moment in each character’s life while attempting to explore the question of manhood. Peters effortlessly blurs the lines of each character in this one man show, while seamlessly weaving in and out of each of their thoughts, dreams, and frustrations proving that although each man is unique, he still shares a common thread that binds him to the next man. Each character builds upon the previous one tracking the progression of man through different stages in life and time. Aptly titled, Any1Man balances the mirror before our very eyes simultaneously offering an introspective look at one man’s soul and insight into the collective psyche of a people."
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