Pass Over at The Laboratory Theater of Florida

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The Laboratory Theater of Florida will present the southwest Florida premiere of Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu’s acclaimed play Pass Over from March 31 - April 16.

“THRILLING, POETICAL, and UNFLINCHING.” -Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

Moses and Kitch stand around on the corner, talking trash, passing the time, and hoping that maybe today will be different. As they dream of their promised land, a stranger wanders into their space with his own agenda and derails their plans. Pass Over exposes the unquestionable human spirit of young men stuck in a cycle and looking for a way out. This is a rare piece of politically charged theater by a bold new American voice. 

Artistic Director Annette Trossbach feels strongly about this play. She says, “This provocative play is a bold, new kind of Epic Theater. Moses and Kitch are leading their people out of Egypt, are on a 19th-century plantation, are in an inner city, dreaming and planning how to get out. Playwright Antoinette Nwandu reminds us that all three realities are being played out at once, highlighting the universality of suffering in human history through poetic expletives and humor. When Biblical events play out before our eyes, Nwandu shows us that our world, with its division and racism, can change, and we witness the possibility that there is hope for our collective future.”

Director Sonya McCarter says, “To ‘pass over’ means to ignore or disregard someone or something; biblically, it means to move above something or someone; to cross over. The question then becomes, ‘Who is passing over? or Who is getting passed over?’ It's a question I am grateful to explore with this incredibly gifted cast who have bravely committed to telling this story at this time. Ultimately, Pass Over is a story about love, friendship, finding joy and the will to hold on to your dreams regardless of the pressures of s harsh reality.”

“The play...comes across as the embodiment of an escalating frustration over how to make Black lives matter.” - Washington Post.

Directed by Sonya McCarter, with Assistant Director Tijuanna Clemons, Pass Over features Robert Barner (The Color Purple, Avenue Q) as Moses, Andrew Sarkozy (The Play That Goes Wrong, The Thanksgiving Play) as Mister/Ossifer, and Reuben Morgan as Kitch. 

Mature themes, strong adult language, violence, gunshots

Pass Over is sponsored by Ella Nayor and Jeffrey Cull.

Rehearsal space sponsored by the Winged Foot Title.
 

Performance dates:

March 31 at 8 pm

April 1, 6, 7, 8*, 13, 14, 15 at 8 PM

April 2, 9, 16  at 2 PM

Special Events: 

March 29, 30 at 8 pm Half-price preview nights

April 1 at 6 pm Teens get a free ticket (reservations required)

April 8 Community Talkback immediately after the performance

Authors

• Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu