By Tytianna Wells

Childhood stories were easy to understand and digest with midnight sweets and milk, however, once adulthood hits the fairy-tale, hunky-dory, happy ending tales sometimes take a turn for the worse.
The University of Louisville’s African American Theatre Program is aware of a story’s importance so much that they will be dealing with these social issues in their upcoming play titled, “The Story.”
“Stories unify people and their personal experiences,” said Frances Lewis, a junior theatre arts major. “The audience will have to write their own ending to the story, just like in life.”
Written by Tracey Scott Wilson, the play will be directed by Nefertiti Burton, associate professor and director of International Programs for the College of Arts & Sciences.
The play is told from a modern day journalist’s perspective on the controversial, blurring of reality and truth.
It unfolds as an ambitious reporter investigates the brutal murder of a white man in a black neighborhood. This issue interconnects the social enmities of historical and present day, including racism, competition and ethical issues.
According to Burton, the fast pace of the play with rapid-fire, overlapping scenes is “not anything like we have done before.”
“The play touches base with lots of sensitive issues that lots of people don’t actually want to bring up,” said Meredith McBride, senior theatre arts major and assistant stage manager for the production. “It steps on that line and really puts it out there.”
Though, the social issues in the production will generate different perceptions among the audience, members of the cast also have to face these issues head-on as they prepare for specific roles that are noted as particularly “controversial” and “a little difficult.”
Cecil Washington, Jr., a first year graduate student who is studying theatre arts, agreed that playing the role of Neil Patterson was just that.
“He is an educated African American reporter who faces discrimination in the newsroom,” said Washington.
“Personally, I’ve never experienced close racial discrimination, but Neil has to deal with it,” he said. “However, I still don’t have to reach far for this role because I am an educated black man which makes the role a little easier.”
Tristan Mapp, who plays the role of the detective, felt the audience would have mixed reactions.
“It will make people angry, make people believe, open peoples eyes and blow people away,” said Mapp.
Winston Blake, a junior English major studying at Indiana University Southeast, also expressed his concern with the reactions of the audience.
“I don’t think that anyone would be offended,” said Blake. “I think that they will understand the tension because they could have been in a similar situation.”
However, according to McBride, the audience will ultimately find ways to empathize with the characters. 
“Everyone can get something out of it; everyone can relate and appreciate what the point of the story is,” said McBride.
As “The Story” spins off into action, characters such as Latisha, who is played by junior theatre arts major Frances Lewis, becomes central to the fusion, as well as the chaos of the production.
“I am the catalyst of the story who sparks other characters to start their stories,” said Lewis. “Though, I am not in many scenes, when I am in a scene, there is something different about me.”
By the conclusion of the play, Burton is optimistic that the audience will be left asking themselves many different questions about what they have seen. 
“A lot of things are happening at once in the play,” said Burton. “The audience will wonder who is telling the truth; the reporter’s sensational scoop cracks the case…or does it?”