By: Rachel Hawkins NDG Staff Writer
Throughout a woman’s life, she will face many emotions dealing with the ups, downs, secret desires, sadness and personal triumphs. Depending on the type of situation and amount of pressure society places on her, she will act according to and hopefully overcome these struggles.
Styling Diva Productions, a multi-faceted company that produces a variety of events presented Many Faces of Women on April 14 in the Dupree Theater at The Irving Arts Center.
The production was a series of one-woman monologues which represented nine different women who are seen in our everyday society.
“What inspired me to take on acting was when I was in a stage play and I was asked out of the blue if I would be in a production for them and I agreed,” Stephanie Dixon, founder of Styling Diva Productions said. “After that, I started writing my own stage plays and this is where I am now.
“Being a woman means being motivated, encouraged, a conqueror and an overcomer,’ Dixon said. “For so long women have been the underdogs and basically treated like nobodies, but I believe that now, especially with movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp, I think it’s time for us to branch out. Being a woman right now is the best thing you can possibly be.
“I try to ensure there was a select message in each monologue,” Dixon said. “I want women to know that we are wonderful and great, but we need to start letting each other know that we’re great and powerful, we can be successful and we can do all things. And we can simply do this by banding together and having self-motivation.”
In Act 1 the audience first watched The Faithful Woman with the Unfaithful Husband, where a woman discovered her husband’s infidelity through a note and a diamond bracelet which was originally meant for his secretary during his work trip. In the note, he declared his love for her and excitement for starting their new lives together. Stephanie Dixon who portrayed the character discussed her denial, eventual acceptance and starting a new life with her children.
The Single Woman and Mother, played by Harmoniee Valentine featured a stressed single mother who consistently worries about her 16-year-old as he consistency hangs around the wrong crowd. After discovering her son was thrown into jail for robbing a store, she then decided to let him stay overnight to teach him a lesson, and thus finally taking a break from working overtime.
The Vain Woman played by Stephanie Dixon, symbolized a woman who despite living a rich and extravagant lifestyle, was truly lonely because she desired a husband and children.
Leah Hayward plays The Discourage Young Woman, a middle schooler who suffers from bullying daily. Following a suicide attempt gone wrong, realizes the worst mistake of her life would have been ending it. Later she gains the courage to stand up to her aggressors and for herself.
“We’re not only celebrating women after Women’s History Month, but we really celebrated the diversity that’s out there for us,” LaNita Johnson, event coordinator and Irving Black Arts Council’s President, said. “That’s what the Black Arts Council does. We find new fresh talent, and some of these women have never been on stage before. That’s what it exists for, for the up and coming art or artists.
“Right now we live in a digital age, so for people to come into our seats and see our performers, photographers, and artists, that’s a lost art now,” Johnson. “Kids nowadays can see them on YouTube if they wanted to, but they didn’t.
“This shows us that no matter how divided we think we are, we’re all the same,” Johnson said.
Act Two began with The Church Woman, played by Stephanie Dixon, a woman who realized she was judging people for her exact mistakes. The Gossiping Woman, played by Catrina Handley symbolized a woman who judged every person who walked by her house, only to later realize she was internally sad because her husband left her.
Jessica Minaya played The Abused Woman, who comes to the conclusion to stand up for herself, face her husband and leave him after he beats her.
The last monologue was The Woman Facing Alzheimer’s Disease. Played by Stephanie Dixon, a woman who is living in Alzheimer cares facility believes her family forgot about her and took her house after they just visited her. Throughout her story, she continues to talk about waiting for her husband to return from the store, but she soon discovers through an obituary pamphlet left in a laundry basket, he died many years ago.
“While watching this play and being in it, I can see the different type of women troubles altogether, and it makes you see what women are going through,” Leah Hayward, actress and eighth-grader said. “It helped me see things from a different point of view and understand everything else.
“Being a woman means that I am strong and I will make it,” l said. “In our times and troubles God will always be there for us, and it’s up to us as women to pull together as one.”
