Herstories

Act One

The audience is transported to a time betwixt and between where Virgina Hamilton's folktales come to life. Herstories is a collection of African-American folklore where females are personified as fairies, mermaids, witches, and animals with tales that are sunny and magical and frightening as well.

The play opens with a meeting of "the women/storytellers" who represent our ancestors and the storytellers in our past. They give an introduction to the oral traditions these stories are drawn from and lead into the first vignette of Little Girl and Buh Rabby narrated by one of the women/storytellers. Buh Rabby is a slick fellow but in this lighthearted tale, a little girl gets him mighty close to the rabbit's trap! Little Girl, a well-mannered and obedient child, has been left to mind her family's house and garden while her Momma is away. Buh Rabby takes advantage of Little Girl and conveniences her that Momma gave him permission to come inside the garden for some peas.