Actors Bridge Ensemble's World Premiere Production of Alicia Haymer's HEAVY

When the history of live theater performance in Nashville, post-pandemic, is written sometime in the future, it's highly likely there will be a chapter dedicated to and inspired by the significance of the artistry of Alicia Haymer, the actor/director/playwright who grew up in Nashville and whose impact on local theater goes all the way back to her childhood.

And since I am likely to be the one to compile such a volume, you may rest assured there will be a laudatory examination of the impact she's made on Nashville theater, whether through her superb direction of such shows as School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (for which she won a First Night Award for outstanding director in 2023), her sublime performances in Nashville Repertory Theatre's productions of Dominique Morisseau's Pipeline or August Wilson's Fences (both of which provided audiences with stellar examples of her devastatingly subtle acting skills), or with the world premiere production of her play Heavy (which she wrote, directed and stars in), presented by Actors Bridge Ensemble and now onstage at the Actors Bridge Studio at Darkhorse Theatre through April 23.

Haymer's director's note for the Heavy playbill reminds audiences that she started work on the play five years ago, during what has become apparent in the intervening years as a seismic shift in American culture and politics, in general, and most particularly in the Nashville theater scene. Inspired by people she grew up loving, venerating and respecting, Haymer's Heavy is at once very personal, yet distinctly universal. She relates the story of a family torn apart by hurt feelings, moments of loss and despair and the recognition that oftentimes life just doesn't go as planned.

She describes her play as "a love letter to my childhood, my neighborhood and my family," although it's not based upon real events, "but heavily influenced by real people that I love dearly." In doing so, she establishes herself as a playwright of startling vision, creative stature and awesome promise.

Clearly, the play Haymer has written - and which prompted her opening night audience to rise for an extended standing ovation at the end - remains thoroughly and heartbreakingly personal. There is an unmistakable warmth among the various characters, even as the frosty chill of interfamilial discord is obvious throughout. Perhaps most striking about Haymer's exquisitely written script is the ring of honesty that pervades the scant 75 minutes of the playing time and the unsettling, if stunning, authenticity of her richly developed dialogue.

Set in a close-knit neighborhood in which three children (their ages are never confirmed, but Alaya Walton as Shelly, Nikki Staggs as Samaira and Josh Inocalla as Jody are so focused and believable, they seem ageless) are dealing with their own drama: the often misunderstood and sometime bullied Samaira, who is Muslim, and her parents are planning a move from the South to Michigan, where opportunity and a more welcoming circle of friends and acquaintances await. Shelly and Josh, seeking some way to keep Samaira's family from moving, tentatively approach Penny (played with confidence, flair and a resolute sense of who she is by the incandescent Nina Webster), whom they believe to be the neighborhood witch or mystic, in search of a potion or spell that can help them convince the universe to keep Samaira protected in their circle of abiding friendship and innocence.

To do so, however, means they must go against the teachings and the remonstrations of Shelly's over-protective and stern, yet clearly loving grandmother Goldie (portrayed with a sense of maternal severity, seriousness and all-knowing wisdom by Haymer herself), who refuses to engage in even cursory or polite conversation with "Miss Witches," telling her in no uncertain terms to mind her own business.

There is one character, however, who urges the two women to bury the hatchet and to refute that which has driven them apart: Goldie's son Junior (played by Shawn Whitsell), a former Marine suffering from stultifying PTSD, driven to drink by his own war experiences and the unspoken fear that plagues any American man who is perceived as guilty of something, anything, because he is Black in a racist society. The role gives Whitsell, another of Nashville theater's most prolific and beloved artists, the opportunity to show off his considerable acting skills.

There is so much more in Heavy that resonates with audiences and rather than spoil it for those of you planning to see the show in its two weekend run at Actors Bridge Studio, I will only mention that during the final scene - compelling, emotional, heartrending and breathtakingly potent - I had to suppress the sobs engendered by the heartfelt imagery created by Haymer in her script and brought to life so vividly by her, Whitsell and Webster. Twelve hours later, I am still moved to tears by the mere thought of what I witnessed.

The production's aesthetic is perfect for Haymer's play, with scenic director Paul Gatrell providing a spectacular view of a very specific place in time, beautifully lit by Leah Spurlock's lighting design. Dee Benn dresses the characters perfectly, capturing the very essence of each character expressed in Haymer's script.

With only two weekends, your chances to see Heavy are rather limited, but stop what you are doing now and reach out to see if there are any tickets left for the run. It's truly a transformative experience.

Heavy. By Alicia Haymer. Directed by Alicia Haymer. Produced by Vali Forrister. Stage managed by Kat Tierney-Smith and Daryn Jackson. Presented by Actors Bridge Ensemble, at Darkhorse Theater, Nashville. Through Sunday, April 23. For further details, go to www.actorsbridge.org. Running time: 75 minutes, with no intermission.

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