By Isaac Welch In 2004, DC’s Essential Theatre began its Women’s Works Program, to celebrate, cultivate, and explore the achievements of women throughout history and to highlight their contributions in theater arts and other facets of our world. Every year, the program sets out to present one show dedicated to this cause, offering a production that is for, by, or about women. This year’s work, showing at Anacostia Arts Center in Southeast DC, is Laurence Holder’s Zora, the namesake title explicating the legacy of Zora Neale Hurston, figurehead of the Harlem Renaissance. Director S. Robert Morgan and Assistant Director Youri Kim bring to this small theater a production high in amplitude. Though carried on the shoulders of only two actors, the presence of those who contributed to the greater movement of the Harlem Renaissance, and the legacy of Hurston, is brought through in honor and grace. Kecia Deroly and Harry Denby III in ‘Zora.’ Photo by Sharon Farmer/sfphotoworks. As the play begins, we find Hurston, played by Kecia Deroly, between stops as she embarks by train from Harlem, New York, back to her hometown of Eatonville, Florida. Despite her achievement as a literary pillar amid the great flourishing swell of African American arts and intellectualism, she is forced to sit in a filthy and unkempt waiting room labeled “coloreds only” as she awaits her carriage. This setting, brought to life by Tiffani Syndor, brings to the audience a jarring reminder of the environments created in this segregationist period, and discrepancies realized through separate but equal doctrine in a detailed and concisely constructed stage. From here Hurston begins to recount her journey, and from here audiences are made unable to ignore the weight of her contributions as her will for the better living of Black Americans is found in direct contrast to the institutions she must trudge through to meet her destiny. Stepping on to this stage, to tell this story of Hurston’s legacy, Deroly brings every ounce of charisma one could ask for. Throughout the play she is found standing firmly, coursing her body in triumphant rhythm to music and recited poetics, and allowing tenors and altos to ring out when her call comes to sing. Her temperament is appropriately Hurston’s as her act embodies the attitudes of defiance and unabashedness that are threaded throughout her work, and hardly misses a beat as she makes the stage her own. Ever as quickly, by the drop of a needle set to a groove, she is met by her counterpart, played by Harry Denby III, as she reminisces the first in her story of love. As the vinyl crackles and sputters in crossfaded transition, Hurston is set in a flashback and has taken the audience with her with the same speed and suddenness that memories of past love are known to sail in on. Denby III supplements the role of the men pivotal to her life story, from her fellow wordsmith Langston Hughes to her mentor then turncoat Alain Locke. Denby’s remarkable ability to shapeshift the demeanor and gesticulate habits of each role while maintaining a certain relatedness to Deroly keeps his every appearance in the production fresh and memorable. Throughout the production, Deroly and Denby III recite real poems and perform original works authored by the roles they represent. In doing so, this cast of two actively fulfills the vision of the future that Hurston and her constituents maintained in their contributions to the Harlem Renaissance. In this way, the production serves less as mere homage to Hurston’s legacy, and more of a living and breathing re-animation of her spirit, complementing the surrounding zeitgeist and bringing greater worthiness to her personal tribulations. Harry Denby III and Kecia Deroly in ‘Zora.’ Photo by Sharon Farmer/sfphotoworks. Another unique aspect of this production is its use of Hurston’s works and personal journey. In recalling Hurston’s explorations in her life and in her literary works, the production not only marks a timeline, but further examines the phenomena identified and questions posed by her intrigue as it recalls the societal exposures she broke ground on, proving them relevant still. As the reception of her works was inevitably influenced by her being a Black woman, Hurston’s present-day narration, as proclaimed through Deroly, allows the audience to understand her perspective without the tint of misogynoir. Additionally, the production does not shy away from discussing some of the controversies that shaded Hurston’s career, and uses these moments as a means to allow Hurston to defend her name by providing information and perspectives that may have been hushed under the headlines that accused her. Audiences will leave this production knowing Hurston better than they once did. Zora Neale Hurston As a biopic production, this work may serve as a fascinating introduction to “The Queen” of the Harlem Renaissance, but is best targeted to those already familiar with Hurston and what she represents in the canon of Black American literary work. Regardless, whether they know Zora Neale Hurston devotedly as their favored author, or as only a name introduced in a long-forgotten history class, patrons should know that when they come to see Essential Theatre’s Zora, they will witness a pure display of talent and an unrelenting passion in performance that echoes the very sentiments that brought air to the Harlem Renaissance. They will witness a remittal of Black excellence in living affirmation of what was and always will be, as Deroly and Denby perform and chant together affirmations of Afrocentricism, and they will leave reminded of the generational impact left by written word and daring spirit, such as those we remember Zora Neale Hurston for. Running Time: 90 minutes with 15-minute intermission. Zora plays through October 6, 2024 (Thursday at 12 pm, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm), presented by The Essential Theatre performing at Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Road SE in Washington, DC. Tickets ($35–$39) are available online. The cast and creative team credits are here Appropriate for ages 11+. COVID Safety: Masks are encouraged and welcomed. Isaac Welch is a journalist based in Southeast Washington, DC.       SEE ALSO: Zora Neale Hurston tribute to begin Essential Theatre’s 35th season (news story, August 29, 2024)