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About this episode

Miss Evers’ Boys by David Feldshuh, a shameful tale in American history that can still garner a tear laced with mild anger and regret, opened to an appreciative crowd of theatergoers this weekend past.Under the extraordinarily sensitive direction of Melanie Moyer Williams, Mr. Feldshuh’s play chronicles the demise of four Black men among the hundreds of African American males suckered into a US government guinea pig program. Designed to examine the short and long term effects of syphilis left untreated, this story of the 40-year Tuskegee experiment is arguably the most infamous biomedical research study in US history.With a handpicked cast of accomplished actors, this production was more of an event than the many run of the mill theatrical performances, masquerading as quality theatre we’ve seen as of late. Led by Neddra McClyde (Miss Evers) a rare talent capable of crying real tears on demand, she captures the heart and spirit of Nurse Evers’ inner struggle, to fulfill her duty as an obedient professional of the times, while trying to assuage the growing concerns of the more headstrong lab rats.One can almost personally feel the pain and anguish, the good nurse is living with year after year, as she bares witness to and responsibility for the eventual deaths and crippling of the very men she’d convinced she was aiding. Torn between doing the right thing for her people and doing the right thing for those in her immediate care has Nurse Evers twisting a knife in her own heart for decades.The set is simple but imaginative, the cast is small but excellent, the theater space is sparse but more than adequate and the story is strong, lasting and relevant to this very day. Based on this and previous efforts, we think the Red Fern Theatre Company is a force to be reckoned with in New York City’s innovative theater. What else can we say; this is Black Box theatre at its very best. Here is more stuff you need to know:The PlaceTurtle Shell Theater300 W. 43rd StreetNYC NYOpenedMarch 19, 2009ClosingApril 5, 2009PERFORMANCESThu - Sat at 8pm; Sun at 3pmThe Price$18The Number212-352-3101The CastJason Donnell Bush, Evander Duck, Alex C. Ferrill, Garrett Lee Hendricks, Marty Austin Lamar, Nedra McClyde, David PendletonThe AuthorDavid FeldshuhThe DirectorMelanie Moyer WilliamsThe CompanyRed Fern Theatre Company

• Category

  Entertainment

• Release Date

  Mar 27, 2009

• Runtime

  25:47