Abyssinia

Feb 14–16, 2020

In February, Lyric Stage presented ABYSSINA, by Ted Kociolek and James Racheff, based on the novel Marked by Fire by Joyce Carol Thomas.

Abyssinia Jackson is born during a tornado in Stillwater, Oklahoma at the turn of the 20th century. Blessed with a gift of song and a voice that delights the entire community, Abby is brought up in the bosom of the church and under the watchful eye of Mother Vera, a folk-healer. Like Job, Abby is fated to undergo a series of trials. Consequently, Abby’s faith in both man and God is destroyed and she vows never to sing again. Mother Vera takes the girl under her wing to teach her the ways of a healer. In learning to relieve pain in others, Abyssinia begins to heal herself. At the play’s conclusion, Abyssinia finds her voice again and rejoins the community.