The Ensemble Theatre Elevates The New Year With TOO HEAVY FOR YOUR POCKET By Jiréh Breon Holder

The Ensemble Theatre presents Too Heavy for Your Pocket, by Jiréh Breon Holder and Directed by Eileen J. Morris with Opening Night and Media Reception, Thursday, January 24, 2019, 6:30 p.m. 3535 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002.

Holder, inspired by the movies Selma and The Butler began his own research into the times and received a first-hand perspective from his grandmother who was a child during the Civil Rights Movement. Her account of a man she considered having thrown his education away to become a Freedom Rider resonated with Holder who was in college as the Black Lives Matter Movement was happening and struggled to decide where he fit into things.

"I'm excited by the thought of what happens when something huge is happening politically and we have to make the decision do we participate in the macro or still continue our lives day to day on the micro level?" says Holder. "The play is really about a guy who was in a similar position as me and having to make the same decision."

In rural Tennessee at the height of the Civil Rights Movement two young couples struggle to understand justice, love, and their own responsibilities. When Bowzie gets a scholarship to attend Fisk University, he has the opportunity to improve his family's life. His education goes beyond the classroom, as he becomes a Freedom Rider and joins the fight against racism in the Deep South, leaving his obligations as a husband and friend behind. A beautifully written look at the personal cost and private struggles behind public events, Too Heavy for Your Pocket speaks powerfully about the bonds of friendship and what defines true family.

Featured Cast members include: Kendrick "KayB" Brown (BOWZIE BRANDON), Yunina Barbour-Payne (SALLY-MAE CARTER), Kedrick Brown (Tony Carter), LaKeisha Randle (EVELYN BRANDON).

Previews: January 19, 20, & 23, 2019
Show Runs: January 24 - February 24, 2019

Performance Days and Times: Thursdays: 7:30 p.m; Fridays: 8:00 p.m; Saturdays: 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m; and Sundays: 3:00 p.m.

Tickets Available Online: www.EnsembleHouston.com For Information Call: 713-520-0055

Ticket Prices: $23- $50