'Men Cry in the Dark' offers humor, drama

A man launching 'Happily Single' magazine becomes intrigued with a woman.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- A one-night-only performance of "Men Cry in the Dark" will come to Powers Auditorium next week. This play, based on Michael Baisden's best-selling novel, boasts a star-studded cast including Allen Payne, Richard Roundtree and Rhona Bennett.
It is about a Chicago bachelor who thinks he has it all: a great group of friends, and now his own magazine, "Happily Single," named after his life philosophy. But when he travels to promote it on Atlanta's hottest radio talk show, he meets a woman, Angela, who turns his life upside down.
Rhona Bennett is excited to play Angela and shares her insight into the characters.
"Derrick Reed [Payne] lost his mother but has a dynamic relationship with his father [Roundtree]," she said.
"His father believes in family, and when Derrick chooses to leave the corporate world to go after what he wants and promote his magazine, they have a falling out. He goes to Atlanta and meets Angela, who is also from Chicago, and they tickle each other's fancy. When they return to Chicago, they begin to date, and she helps Derrick promote his magazine. She is also an entrepreneur and is inspired to once again promote her own business, which is a health and fitness facility. She is also the catalyst that brings him back together with his father. Her own parents are both deceased, so she believes in staying close with family. Angela becomes significant in Derrick's life for many reasons, not just love."
Themes
Bennett said the play is about Derrick's judgment toward women in general. When his best friend, Tony, decides to marry Tracie, Derrick remarks that marriage is like going to jail. And there are other relationships going on at the same time. Bennett described the play as a 'dramedy,' with some funny scenes and others that are very serious.
Some of the couples have serious roles. For example, Mark, who is black, is dating Christy, who is white.
"He says he used to only date within his race but didn't find the love he needed," Bennett said. "So he starts dating other races and falls in love with Christy. He gets tired of having to explain himself to family and friends, why he is dating a white girl, and is embarrassed to admit he loves her, to others and even to her. But eventually, he doesn't care what others think and tells her he loves her," Bennett said.
Tour revived
Bennett said this tour is actually a resurrection of the play. "We toured about eight months out of the year three years ago, but there were parts of the country we didn't cover," she said. "We are doing the southern markets now, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, plus a couple in Ohio and New York, and we eventually plan to hit the West Coast."
Bennett is from Los Angeles and was approached to do this play while she was on the "Jamie Foxx Show." Bennett, who also is a singer, is a member of the group En Vogue. The single woman said she feels her priorities shifting and would like to marry and have a family someday.
XThe play will be staged at 8 p.m. Thursday at Powers Auditorium. For tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.