2009-2010 Season

What are People Saying About it?

"Pierce to the Soul succeeds against the odds with charm, modesty, humor and homespun wisdom."

"engaging and enlightening"

"theatergoers should be charmed and cheered as Pierce has his say."
--Michael Grossberg, The Columbus Dispatch

"New plays, like half-finished wood carvings, generally are a rough-edged lot. But it’s hard to find so much as a gouge in Pierce to the Soul"
--Richard Ades, The Other Paper

Read the Full Reviews:

CATCO's 'Pierce to the Soul' a fluid, fascinating homage to folk artist
----Michael Grossberg, The Columbus Dispatch

The stars align in Pierce stage biography
--Richard Ades, The Other Paper

Play Notes:

This play has been in development since 2004. Portions of the play have been presented in numerous public readings, and those experiences and countless rewrites have shaped a play that is very different from the first draft.

The major problem in developing a one-person play is how to keep it interesting without other actors on stage to establish dramatic tension and discovery. A one-person production will include story-telling, and the good ones will connect the stories to an "arc" or process that reveals a central understanding about the character.

One of the very first public readings raised another problem: Actor Alan Bomar Jones did not look like Elijah Pierce. Some in the audience expected “Mr. Pierce” to be on stage. After a recent public reading, an engaged audience member instructed Chiquita and the creative team “to get it right.” These reactions, while natural, miss the point: Actors in one-person shows often do not look like the person they are depicting on stage. Hal Holbrook is 6-ft, 1-in tall; since the late 1950s he has played Mark Twain, who was a diminutive 5-ft, 8-in. Catco’s founder, Geoff Nelson, is 6-ft, 3-in tall, yet he received rave reviews for his portrayal of baseball entrepreneur, Branch Rickey, who was only 5-ft, 9-in.

Catco is not replicating Mr. Elijah Pierce in the Studio Two Theatre. What Chiquita and Alan and the entire creative team are trying to do is find the essence of this man, Elijah Pierce. What lay behind this man’s life-story? How did he become remembered as a holy man, a gentle man, an internationally known African American folk artist, a mentor to young artists? What obstacles did he overcome to arrive at the peaceful, holy life he led in the Lincoln-Mt. Vernon area of East Columbus?

Without giving away too much, here is what you will encounter in the performance:

Mr. Pierce listened to numerous voices throughout his life, and it took him quite some time to filter out those voices he should not listen to from those he should. He discovered early in life his ability to carve and to barber, but his curiosity and pride sometimes blocked his finding the proper path. A 90-year old holy man at the time of the play, he had found his path and was helping others find their paths. All in all, a life fully lived, a life at the end that was full of love and respect for his Lord.

Bill Childs, Dramaturge

Would you like to know more? Here is more in-depth information on on Pierce, the process, and the people involved from Dramaturge Bill Childs:

Click here for the Dramaturge's full-length "Playnotes," a more in-depth look at Elijah Pierce, Chiquita Mullins Lee, and the process of writing Pierce to the Soul.

Click here to see an early treatment of Pierce to the Soul that lead to the current incarnation of the script.

Click here to view a history of CATCO's past new works projects.

Click here to read a question and answer session with playwright Chiquita Mullins Lee about Elijah Pierce and her writing process.

Who's the Playwright?

Chiquita Mullins Lee

Chiquita Mullins Lee, who lives in Columbus, began her career as a public television producer-director in Nashville, Tennessee, and worked in media for more than 20 years. Lee was scriptwriter for TechKNOWKids, which aired in Chicago, Illinois, and received an Emmy nomination in 2001. CATCO has featured her work in its Shorts Festivals 2000 and 2004. She co-wrote and performs in Myrlie, Betty, and Coretta: The Mothers of the Civil Rights Movement, playing the role of Coretta Scott King. She conducts creative writing workshops and residencies for adults, teens and school-aged children. Lee earned her BA from Vassar College, an MA from Ohio University, and a second MA from The Ohio State University.

Where Can I Learn More?

Detailed Biographies of Elijah Pierce:
Biography 1
Biography 2

Cover story on Pierce in Columbus' Short North Gazette

"Curator's View" from the Columbus Museum of Art

Samples of Pierce's Artwork:

Google image search on Elijah Pierce.

http://www.kenygalleries.com

http://negroartist.com