I had an opportunity to see the stage play Every Tongue Confess at Horizon Theater. After a young white teenager witnesses her mother's death at the hands of her black drug-taking boyfriend, the trauma causes her to lose the power to speak. Symbolically, a swallow stole her vocal chord and flew away with it.
A widowed southern preacher raising her son alone befriends a tattered traveling blacksmith who has more than skills with a hammer to fix things. Between the enigmatic attraction and his unexplained past life, the blacksmith offers answers to a whole lot of questions.
Every Tongue Confess is a spiritual that offers soul-stirring spirituals, volatile drug fueled relationships, bi-racial family secrets, murder, healing and retribution. Its packed full of drama, song, lust and love. By the time we got to the intermission I'm sure the audience was already emotionally invested with huge questions that we craved answers to.
Throughout the play, the story was loosely narrated by three choir members who closely mirror the 3 Hebrew boys (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego).
In the end, Every Tongue Confess gave a hair raising bible raising sermon and a twist no one saw coming. I refuse to give it away. Its a must see.
Every Tongue Confess runs July 12 – August 25, 2013 at Horizon Theatre located in Little Five Points/Inman Park (1083 Austin Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30307). Performances are Wednesday through Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 3 PM and 8:30 PM, and Sunday at 5 PM. Tickets start at $20. Tickets and information are available at horizontheatre.com or 404.584.7450.
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