Disciple: Telling the Stories

By Christine McTaggart

The stories of individuals are what come together to weave rich cultural tapestries. For a long time, the stories of the African-American experience went untold. They were as deep and rich as any other, but they did not have a stage on which to share them.

MOJOAA is changing that. A nonprofit performing arts production company founded in 2013, MOJOAA is dedicated to telling the stories of the African-American experience and ensuring the voices come from the community of color to which they belong.

“I was involved in the local theater scene and saw a gap,” said Monet Marshall, artistic director for MOJOAA. “There were organizations that were mainly white and would do a ‘black show’ or put together an all-black cast in a white show. It always confused me that there were all these brilliant actors of color, particularly in the Triangle, and there was no company doing work just for them.”

A FAMILY AFFAIR

Marshall has been in the creative arts since childhood, with a natural talent nurtured by the artistic gifts of her family. Her mother, Robin, is a playwright and founded MOJOAA with her husband, Bryan, and her children (MOJOAA is named for them: Monet, Jordan and Aaron). On any production you might find any one of them credited with writing, acting, producing or working behind the scenes.

Still seeking a permanent home, MOJOAA productions can be found around the Triangle. One site is becoming a regular: Mordecai Historic Park in downtown Raleigh. Once the site of the largest plantation in Wake County, it is now a historic site and park open to the public.

OTHER VOICES

It was while visiting the park that Robin and Monet noticed the information shared did not really include the voices of the enslaved people, let alone tell the stories from their perspective.

“A lot of times our voices are not heard, especially the slave narratives,” said Marshall. “We know the history of that era based on what we learn in school, but very rarely do you hear that story told from the enslaved point of view. So we want to give them life and tell their stories, too.”

The stories came to life as “Escape to Freedom.” September 2017 marks the third year the interactive play is performed on the plantation. Alongside the actors, audience members are given the experience of the auction block, separation from family members, living under absolute authority and more. It’s a powerful experience for all involved, and performances sell out faster each year.

“If I can remind someone not black to take a minute when walking through a place like Mordecai and think about what it was like for these folks,” said Marshall, “that’s why it’s important to tell these stories.”

MEANT TO BE LIVED

The slave experience is only one of the many facets of the African-American community reflected in MOJOAA productions.
“We should have room to tell stories of all types of people of color with all the humanness of it,” said Marshall. “I want to see people be fully human. I want them to be able to laugh and cry, to make bad decisions and be redeemed with everything in between.”

While the subjects of MOJOAA shows may cover a wide range of topics and emotion, one thing they all have in common is honesty.

“God is the ultimate creator and the ultimate storyteller,” said Marshall. “That’s what the Bible is, a collection of truth and stories meant to have meaning. They’re how we’re supposed to live our lives. Plays are not meant to be read; they’re meant to be lived, just as the Word is meant to be lived.”

Christine McTaggart is the communications director for the Diocese of North Carolina.