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Partnering with Savannah State University’s Players by the Sea, the Armstrong Atlantic State University Department of Art, Music & Theatre Masquers troupe will perform The Amen Corner, a comic drama in three-acts by novelist and playwright James Baldwin. Performances are November 7-17th on Armstrong’s Jenkins Hall Theater stage.

In the mid 1950’s, Baldwin wrote The Amen Corner, a play that eventually became a Broadway hit, in which he examined the phenomenon of storefront Pentecostal religion.

It's the story of Harlem storefront preacher Margaret Alexander "who is about to see her world crumble," says a department spokesperson.

Her son and church organist, David, is set on following in the footsteps of his father, jazz musician, Luke. When the errant husband and father comes home to die, Sister Margaret finds herself losing everything but coming to terms with her own true sense of faith.

“Self discovery no matter how painful is a key theme threaded throughout the play,” said Armstrong’s Elizabeth Desnoyers-Colas, one of the productions co-directors. “All of the characters show that they have something in their lives that eventually as one character says ‘will be uncovered’.”

In what is believed to be an historical first of this type of collaboration between the sister institutions, Desnoyers-Colas and Savannah State’s Darryl Thompson, M.F.A. co-direct this production of Baldwin’s venture into full-length plays.

All performances are at Armstrong's Jenkins Hall Theater. Thursday through Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday performances begin at 3 p.m.

Regular reserved-seating admission: Only $10. Discounts available to military, seniors, alumni association members, and students/children. No refunds or exchanges. Armstrong students, faculty and staff admitted free of charge with valid PirateCard.