“THE TRUTH: A STAGE PLAY ABOUT THE DOWNLOW” –A POWERFUL lOOK

“The Truth: A Stage Play about the Downlow”

A Powerful Look

Amos Lassen

“The Truth” is a filmed musical play and it is the powerful story of a black family, the Suttons, that does not realize it is in the midst of crisis. Two pf the family men are pretending to be straight as they carry on with men “on the downlow”. With an excellent cast and a strong message as well as a surprise ending, there is plenty to please the viewer here. The play manages to touch upon every subject that is part of today’s black community as well as of the larger society. Even though we know that homosexuality is not something new in our society, the downlow seems to have become a part of the way that some live today. Chris (Marlon Anthony Russ) is a high school football player who is lacking in academic skills. His sister, Tiffany has just been awarded her master’s degree and is about to get married to Donnie. There is something about the relationship between Chris and his best friend, AJ that lets us know that they are also lovers. When Donnie meets AJ, something else happens and tensions become high. We see that masculinity can be defined differently and Chris, by wanting to stay in the closet so as not to disappoint his family, realizes this all to well.