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City shootings prompt church to host play
"Kila'delphia," billed as a gospel reality stage play, will make its debut in Washington tomorrow night.
The play by Antwan Demarco of Philadelphia will be performed at 6 p.m. Saturday at the LeMoyne Multicultural Center, 200 Forrest Ave. There is no admission fee.
The play is sponsored by the Apostolic Christian Temple, 164 W. Wylie Ave., Washington. Its assistant pastor, elder Myron Jones, said the church decided in light of recent killings in Washington that it was an appropriate time for them to sponsor the performance.
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The mother of one man who died, Carl (Tony) Cohen, is a member of Apostolic Christian Temple, and the church conducted her son's funeral. The church is sponsoring the play in memory of Cohen.
"No mother, brother, father or sister should ever go through this," Jones explained.
He was alarmed that so many who attended the funeral were people who do not attend church. His hope is that "Kila'delphia" will be viewed by those who do not have a church background.
"It's a message that is going to transform their lives," he said, noting that one scene showing heaven's gates and the door to hell makes a lasting impression.
Jones' own daughter, Donyisha, is a member of the production. Jones first saw the play about a year ago in Wheeling, W.Va. There are different casts so the production can be given in many areas around the country. When a new cast was begun in the Steubenville, Ohio, area, his daughter was able to join.
The play deals with the realities of drug use, violence, and abortion so it may not be suitable for young children.
"It's not make-believe. It's really what's happening," Jones said, adding that many of those who come to see the play wind up seeing themselves in the characters and are impacted by its message.
"You can have a problem, but it doesn't have to end with somebody's life being tragically taken. It doesn't have to end in that manner," he said.
