A Revival of the Moment: 'The Children’s Legacy' Returns, Speaking Urgently to a Generation in Search of Roots

Lola Louis’ visionary play returns to the stage, offering a soul-stirring journey through African history and Black resilience.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, July 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- At a time when conversations around race, belonging, and identity continue to animate American life, the return of The Children’s Legacy to a New York stage feels less like a nostalgic revival and more like a cultural intervention.

The seminal 1990 work by the late playwright and arts educator Lola Louis opens July 25 at The Wild Project in Manhattan’s East Village—a fitting venue for a production that has long thrived at the intersection of art and activism. Guided by directors Leah DeAbreu-Goodwill, Shakira DeAbreu, and Carolyn Cherry, the revival is both a tribute to Louis’ artistic vision and a statement of present-day urgency.

The Children’s Legacy is not just theater—it is an ancestral reckoning. With music, movement, and mythic storytelling at its core, the play follows a group of African youth from the golden age of African kingdoms, through the transatlantic slave trade and emancipation, and into the fragmented present. The narrative is shepherded by a Griot—played by original cast member and co-director Shakira DeAbreu—who serves as the voice of memory, cultural continuity, and resistance.

“It’s not enough to talk about history—we need to feel it,” said DeAbreu-Goodwill in a recent interview. “This piece creates a bridge across centuries and speaks to the deep yearning, especially among young Black audiences, for connection, understanding, and healing.”

While the piece has its roots in the early ’90s, its themes feel uncannily current. In the aftermath of the George Floyd protests, the rollback of affirmative action, and ongoing debates over education and cultural erasure, The Children’s Legacy speaks to a generational urgency: Who are we, and where do we come from?

The production doesn’t shy away from difficult questions. It stages the trauma of dislocation and the struggle for identity with clarity and compassion, while also making space for joy, pride, and the spiritual resilience of Black life across the diaspora.

This latest production draws on a multigenerational cast, including breakout performances by Antonio Gordon as Karloff and Aaron See Yuen as the Prophet & Drug Rehab Counselor —a role reimagined with a contemporary edge. Nicole Mercedes offers a stirring portrayal of Shakira, a daughter at the edge of despair who finds strength in ancestral voices.

Those voices come vividly to life in the work of costume designer Carolyn Cherry, who conjures a powerful “Council of Ancestors,” featuring historical icons from Shaka Zulu and Queen Nzinga to Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. More than symbols, these figures are embodied presences—reminders that the past is never far, and the struggle for justice is never done.

Sajari Hume’s layered scenic, lighting, and sound design moves the audience seamlessly through centuries, continents, and consciousness. The intimate 89-seat Wild Project becomes a liminal space—a crossroads where spirit meets action, and where memory is not just recalled, but reawakened.

Lola Louis originally founded her nonprofit, CAPAS (Creative and Performing Arts Studio), in 1977 to cultivate cultural literacy among Black youth. Since then, her work has impacted thousands across classrooms and stages nationwide, including performances at the United Nations and in Washington, D.C. This revival comes two years after the company lost its longtime venue—making this moment both a return and a rebirth.

Producer Ann Lemond-Hume sees the revival as more than just theater. “We are reigniting a movement,” she said. “Lola believed in theater as a tool for social change. This revival is about reclaiming space—not just physical space, but cultural space—for stories that have been silenced, overlooked, or distorted.”

In an America where school curriculums are being rewritten, and where questions of race and history continue to divide and define, The Children’s Legacy offers a rare and resonant gift: a story that confronts, heals, and unites.

Performances will run Friday, July 25 at 8:00 PM, and Saturday, July 26 at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM. A VIP reception opens at 6:00 PM on July 25. Tickets range from $35 to $65, with VIP experiences available at $100–$150. Student and group rates are offered.

The Wild Project is located at 195 East 3rd Street, New York, NY. Tickets and information are available at www.legacy.lolalouiscapas.org. For more information about the performance and to support the project, contact Ann Lemond-Hume, Executive Director at 866.579.2034.

Theresa ONeal Redd
Global Spectrum Group LLC
+1 917-445-7495
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