“The Delicate Flower” has started heads turning in Atlanta awaiting it’s opening night . “The HEAT” has brought you the ENTIRE cast over the past two weeks. Today we want to focus on the brilliant mind behind the scenes, the author of “The Delicate Flower” and the Executive Producer of the Stage Play, “The Delicate Flower”. So the question is, “who is behind this amazing performance”?
Shakeia Cowan is the author of “The Delicate Flower”. She received her Bachelor of Social Work from Morgan State University and her Master of Social Work from Barry University. Ms. Cowan is a healer of the mind, body, and spirit. She is also a Licensed Massage Therapist/Reiki Master. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Ms. Cowan is trained in assisting others in their healing process with her extensive traditional and non-educational education and practices. She lives her life with the desire of healing herself and others by balancing the mind, body, and spirit. Ms. Cowan has gone through many trials in her life, but has learned To Cope, To Overcome, and To Heal from the pain through the art of writing. As a result of her own healing process, “The Delicate Flower” was born.
July, 2010, Ms. Cowan was influenced by Ms. Shay Youngblood, author and director of “Shakin the Mess Outta Misery”, to bring “The Delicate Flower” to life on stage. Ms. Cowan accepted the “charge” and began seeking out how to begin the next level of the journey. Ms. Cowan presented the idea to Dr. Shirlene Holmes, professor at Georgia State University/playwright, who without hesitation began working on the script. As a result, the first reading was performed August 2010. Ms. Cowan, and her director Ms. Ereatha McCullough, soon after auditioned, cast, and performed the workshop production at Southwest Arts Center, Atlanta GA. The Delicate Flower was received with an enormous of positive feedback. Ms. Cowan and her team have worked diligently to bring this awesome trans-formative journey to The 14th Street Playhouse in Atlanta, GA.
THE HEAT: So Shakeia Cowan, how’s everything going?
COWAN: Everything is going well. We’re tightening everything up and having our last rehearsals so we can be ready for this weekend.
THE HEAT: Is “The Delicate Flower” ready to show up and show out?
COWAN: We are ready to show up and show out and be sold out! (she giggles) Selling out would be fantastic but really the most important thing about this production is the message “The Delicate Flower” brings to the community and how it’s going to transform people’s lives after they’ve seen it.
THE HEAT: You have risen above many authors who dream of their work going from publication script to performance script. What do you attribute this swift success to?
COWAN: I would say that it was about my obedience to the cause and my drive, as well as my determination. When somebody puts a charge on my life and say, “you have to do this” or if I put my mind to something; I have to do it. I have that drive that when I put my mind to something I do whatever it takes to get it done. “By Any Means Necessary”…-Malcolm X. As a matter of fact, the date Malcolm X died, was the date I was born. So we have a connection. A connection I hold on to.
THE HEAT: You have an outstanding cast. From Young Kala Ross to the well seasoned actresses Leta Lagaunda and Tanya Freeman, both have done mainstream film work. Was it difficult bringing everyone together to get this project done?
COWAN: Um, I would say yes and no. Yes because we had several auditions for “The Delicate Flower”. We did a workshop production, January 21, 2011 at the Southwest Art Center and we lost two flowers and we had to recast all over again which meant several more auditions. And because we are representing me, it took very special people to be able to be me! No, because I had a terrific group of people to work with!
THE HEAT: “The Delicate Flower”, is this book a sort of journal of your life experiences?
COWAN: Yes! And now, “everything is out in the open”. “The Delicate Flower” was my personal journal and it was about my life experiences personally and professionally. There are pieces of the play that are not in the book that came about by my creative writing. I’m a part of a “Women of Color” writing group and there were lines that I wrote that fit perfectly in places in the play that didn’t come from my journal.
THE HEAT: If you had one wish to come true for you at this particular moment in time, what would it be?
COWAN: Oh, wow… they said you were good at this. I’m getting teary eyed because so many things popped up but my biggest wish would be that my big sister could be here for this production of my life and my hard work. She’s the best. I am very grateful and thankful my mom, step dad, family and friends will be here but I wish my big sister would be here as well.
THE HEAT: It’s been said that “The Delicate Flower” is the answer to “For Colored Girls”, a Tyler Perry movie. Can you elaborate on why it’s the answer?
COWAN: Well, “For Color Girls”, the original “Colored Girls”, it was outstanding. Although a lot of issues and topics in the production were from the book, I feel it left the people with the question of “how do I heal”? The movie was even more reluctant to address the healing process, in my opinion. “The Delicate Flower” addresses similar topics and issues, but the healing process is clear and addressed along the way. Unlike the movie which waited to the end to try and address healing but didn’t really reach that “how to” level. It’s one thing to address the issues, but for me, I wanted to make sure that it was something tangible for the audience to take with them of “how to heal”. It’s about your own journey. “The Delicate Flower” gives you your own power back so you can heal the way that you need to to walk in your own journey.
THE HEAT: What is one of the most important things, to you, that you are sure the audience will leave this production with?
COWAN: I would say a sense of encouragement, strength, and power. It’s not just a “one” thing anyone will be able to leave this production empowered with. (she giggles in joy) I feel people will understand their own personal journey. The journey of themselves, to put themselves in place and find their way.
THE HEAT: Are there other pieces of work as “The Delicate Flower” that your fans and the entertainment world should be looking out for?
COWAN: My next goal is to travel with “The Delicate Flower” because people need healing all over the world. I’m going to take a break from writing and concentrate on putting the production on the road.
THE HEAT: If you had it to do all over again, speaking of the production, would you jump at the chance?
COWAN: (She pauses for a brief moment and simultaneously we laugh aloud) It’s so funny that you would say that because this morning my dad and I were talking and he was calling me “superwoman”. And I said dad it’s not about me being superwoman because if it were simply up to me, this play would not be debuting. However; I will say again, I know what it’s going to provide for the audience. I know what it has done for me and what it’s still doing for so many people that have had their hands in the amazing healing journey for us all. And to say that, yes, I would do it again.
Shakeia Cowan, you are my “HEAT HOT PICK” of the week! You had one dream and turned it into two…two filled dreams! I take my hat off to you! You are truly a “Delicate Flower”. May all your dreams come true! You go lady!
Much Love! One Love!
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Shakeria Cowan just turned the “HEAT” up in here once again!
