Black Renaissance, a San Diego State University group of Black creatives, performed their first show, “Phantoms,” last weekend.
The performance was marked by a compelling story, talented acting and strong stylistic choices.
“It’s a great show. I’m so glad we’re putting it on,” said Taylor Moore, the stage manager. “You can see the actors dive deep into their emotions and a little bit of their creepy side.”
The one-act play follows a group of friends all connected to a young man named Denmark who went missing a year prior. DK, Denmark’s best friend, is the only one who is convinced that Denmark is dead, arguing with the others, especially Denmark’s girlfriend Jazz, who refuses to give up hope he is still alive. Several of these characters are haunted by their past, making guilt one of the predominant themes in the show, while others cope with the grief of losing Denmark.
While the gripping story often became dark and heavy, there were light moments of the characters having fun and attempting to live their lives in normalcy despite Denmark’s disappearance being an elephant in the room. This contrast added to the authenticity of the characters, which pulled the audience deeper into the show and kept them guessing until the end.
It was written by Nandi Kiana, a fourth-year English literature major, and Cierra Watkins, a fourth-year theater arts performance student.
“I feel like we don’t often talk about the ghosts that we have,” said Kiana. “While we don’t see Denmark in the show, we feel him, we see how he interacts with everyone else around him and we see how he affects these characters.”
Kiana also said she was proud to see her show put on by such talented actors.
“Over half the cast are freshmen and this is their first show at SDSU,” Kiana said. “They have worked so hard to get here. They made these characters their own every step of the way.”
Derrick Watson, a first-year student who played Denmark’s younger cousin Donny, had an especially strong performance. His character was being haunted by Man-Eater, a spirit of guilt played by first-year Jordan Davenport.
Man-Eater also followed Denmark, which portrayed a connection between families even after death. The moment Man-Eater first appeared, Watson took center stage with twitching eyes and fearful screams, creating a suspenseful scene that set the tone for the rest of the show.
“The character of Man-Eater was so unique and the actress that played her was amazing,” said Molly Honce, a graduate student who attended the performance. “I was expecting a traditional haunting because of the title. But in this play, it’s way more than that. The idea that you can be haunted by guilt, or by grief, was a refreshing take.”
Also noteworthy were the stylistic choices that contributed to the production. One especially showstopping moment occurred when DK told Liyah, a friend of Denmark, he knows he is dead for a fact “because I…”
The sound cuts out and the lights go dark. The show resumes the next day with Liyah telling DK he must tell everyone what he told her.
While the audience will never know what DK told Liyah, the sudden cut and reveal created a great feeling of suspense before the mystery is solved in the end.
Black Renaissance will continue to do events throughout the year, which can be found on their Instagram.
