‘Stew’ chronicles sorrows, disappointments and hopes of 3 generations of Black women
Stew by Zora Howard opens January 19th at The Laboratory Theater of Florida. This fast-paced family dramedy bubbles and simmers like the titular meal that Mama, her daughter, and grandchildren work to make one important Saturday morning. Unease and tension grow with the heat of the kitchen with a twist at the end so clever you’ll want to watch the show twice.
Stew is a hilarious and haunting drama that explores the unbreakable bond between kinswomen and reveals the power that loss holds 
over our lives when we refuse to share it with others. The everyday sorrows, disappointments and hopes of three generations of Black women are chronicled … along with their stamina to survive a world of economic hardship, emotional neglect and chronic violence.
“…a captivating story that’s intimate, funny, and heartbreaking in equal measure.” – The New Yorker
Director Sonya McCarter says, “Step into Mama’s kitchen and celebrate the joys and pains of multi-generations cooking together. In Mama’s kitchen, you’ll find love, laughter, comfort, and a healthy dose of ‘You’re doing it wrong!’ ‘That’s too much!’ and ‘Just let me do it!’”
“It’s clear from the fun yet haunting, fast-paced language of the play why Stew was a Pulitzer Prize finalist,” adds Producing Artistic Director Annette Trossbach. “I laughed out loud and cried the first time I read it – it’s so honest and sharp, with the conversation just crackling with old and new tensions but underpinned by an enormous love. Mama rules the house and loves everyone in it, though her memory seems to be slipping..”
Directed by Sonya McCarter, Stew by Zora Howard features Tijuanna Clemons as Mama and Calah McCarter as Nelly, Shakiya Boucher as Lillian, Bianca Barner as Lil Mama and Terroncia Simon as U/S for Mama.
Go here for play dates, times and ticket information.
January 14, 2024.
About the Author
Tom Hall is both an amateur artist and aspiring novelist who writes art quest thrillers. He is in the final stages of completing his debut novel titled "Art Detective," a story that fictionalizes the discovery of the fabled billion-dollar Impressionist collection of Parisian art dealer Josse Bernheim-Jeune, thought by many to have perished during World War II when the collection's hiding place, Castle de Rastignac in southern France, was destroyed by the Wehrmacht in reprisal for attacks made by members of the Resistance operating in the area. A former tax attorney, Tom holds a bachelor's degree as well as both a juris doctorate and masters of laws in taxation from the University of Florida. Tom lives in Estero, Florida with his fiancee, Connie, and their four cats.