Locally produced 'The Family Matters' heading to Columbus
"The Family Matters" is getting a chance at reaching a much bigger audience.
A musical stage play from Effie James, "The Family Matters" played to an appreciative audience at Mansfield Senior High School in late April.
It's now getting a chance in Columbus.
"The Family Matters" will be performed at the historic Lincoln Theatre at 769 E. Long St. in downtown Columbus at 7 p.m. Friday. Doors will open at 6:15.
Tickets are $22 and are available at www.thefamilymatters.net. Limited seats can be purchased at the door.
Lincoln Theatre in Columbus is historic venue
The Lincoln Theatre is a historic landmark for African-American history and jazz.
Having undergone a $13.5 million renovation in 2009, the Lincoln is a multi-use, state-of-the-art performing arts and education center, providing a bustling hub of activity 365 days a year with performances, rehearsals and classes, as well as a wide variety of community events such as film festivals, meetings and receptions.
"The venue is really beautiful," James said. "I'm excited that we get to bring our production to it."
James said a mutual friend helped him secure the Lincoln Theatre.
"It just kind of went from there," he said.
"The Family Matters" is a story about the diverse and eclectic Reynolds family and how they use faith, forgiveness and understanding to work through common problems that many families face in real life.
It's the second play from James, following "Lord, Can You Hear Me?" in 2016. He is a familiar name in Mansfield from his playing and coaching days at Mansfield Senior High School.
"I've always enjoyed creative writing. I always write," James previously told the News Journal. "This was a project I just decided I wanted to do more with."
He did much of his writing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cast of 14 started rehearsing last September. James and his actors didn't want to have only one performance.
"We see the type of talent that exists in Mansfield," he said. "We always talked about what is next for this production. We feel like we have a great story, and we feel like our talent and the original music is second to none."
"The Family Matters" was well-received by a crowd of 572 at its initial performance.
Cast looking forward to big-city venue
James knows everyone will have to step up their game for a big-city audience.
"Your local crowd is always going to support you," he said. "To take it to a stage where it's expected to be good — we're excited about the challenge."
In addition to the 14-member cast, there are 10 musicians and backup singers. James admitted getting everyone to rehearsals at the same time proved challenging.
"These are real working, living adults," he said. "We all have lives and jobs and children."
The primarily local cast ranges from recording artists James Williams II and Jody Odom to experienced actors Martin "Najee" Rawls and Chantel Ross.
Other cast members include vocalist Lisa Brown, Teana Sykes, Brittany Schock, Carl Hunnell and local church pastors Aaron Williams Jr. and Mark Cobb.
Sidney Brown is the musical director. His wife Lisa; their daughters Charity, Chastity and Sidney; and his sister Kimberly provide background vocals.
"The commitment has been there, which is why I think we have a really quality product," James said.
It's been a big year for James, who earned a master's degree the same day "The Family Matters" was performed. In addition, his daughter graduated from Mansfield Senior.
"I'll probably be just as happy when things calm down," James said.
mcaudill@gannett.com
419-521-7219
Twitter: @MNJCaudill
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Mansfield cast and musicians taking 'The Family Matters' to Columbus
