An excerpt from Chain

Abstract

"My name is Rosa Jackson and I just like to get high!" My name is Chloé LaBorde and I will be directing an excerpt from Chain by Pearl Cleage. Chain takes us on a week long journey with 16-year old crack addict Rosa. After multiple stints in rehab, her parents decide that the only way to force her into withdrawal this time around is to chain her to a radiator in their Harlem apartment. After once being exposed to the highest of highs, Rosa experiences the effects of rock bottom. Her body and mind take a toll on her as she works to uncover and recall her past and the situation that led her to this predicament. She reminisces on the memories with her love interest Jesus, recalls drives with her father and old friendships that reveal, Rosa has been troubled for quite some time. After facing her rage and regret, the question in the end is, will this stop her from crawling right back to the drug that can make her forget it all, just for a little bit? Using lighting, props and a variation go camera shots and angles I want to enhance the many faces of addiction that Rosa presents. I want to utilize the camera so that the audience gets a clear sense of her isolation. The journey that Rosa travels through over these seven days is very intense. Through each scene I want to bring the audience along with her highs, lows and discoveries as she comes to terms with the reality of her situation. The crack era was a very hard time for many and this story expresses that in various lights through her withdrawal, her loss and her family dynamic. I intend to create an intimate environment that makes the audience feel both welcomed, uncomfortable and overwhelmed by Rosa's presence.