Now Playing at the Billie Holiday Theatre: The Legend of Buster Neal

The AUDELCO and Obie Award-winning Billie Holiday Theatre continues its 39th season with the world premiere of The Legend of Buster Neal, written and directed by Jackie Alexander.  

Written in celebration of Black History Month, The Legend of Buster Neal is the story of five generations of African-American men and their challenges. A powerful drama dealing with legacy, family, and how manhood is defined, the new play carries forward the Billie Holiday Theatre’s mission of presenting work relevant to African-American audiences and the Brooklyn community.

“This year, we honor Black History Month by looking forward,” says Marjorie Moon, the show’s producer and 30-year artistic director of the Billie Holiday Theatre.

“We are asking the questions: How do our ancestors shape who we are today?  How can we carry on a legacy with pride?  How do we move forward while still firmly rooted in our past?”

The play opens with a flashback to the civil rights era, when Buster Neal is faced with a life-or-death confrontation that becomes a local legend.  

Flashing forward to present day, his 17-year-old great-great grandson Marcus is dealing with modern urban issues – drugs, peer pressure, a broken family – while his father and grandfather disagree on the best way to raise him.  

When a bad decision creates consequences that Marcus can’t handle, Buster Neal arrives as a mysterious visitor to give his descendants a second chance. 

“The characters embody stories from the past 100 years of Black History,” says Alexander. “It speaks to what and how we dealt with things in the past, and our choices in coping with the issues faced today.” 

The play features an all-male ensemble cast of Charles Anthony Burks, Sidiki Fofana, Stephen Hill, Dennis Johnson, Patrick Mitchell, and Nathan Purdee.  In addition to playwright/director Jackie Alexander, the creative team includes AUDELCO Award winners Felix E. Cochren (scene design), Helen Simmons-Collen (costume design) and Avan (light design/stage management).

The Legend of Buster Neal will began previews February 18 and will open March 4, running through March 27 at the 200-seat Billie Holiday Theatre, Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn; Thursdays – Saturdays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 3:00pm, and Sundays at 4:00pm, with tickets $15 - $25, available at zerve.com/BHolidayInc/Buster.