Valley playwright "I Was Fine" to premiere at Powers

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Hot Topix Theater Productions will present its second original play of the year, “I Was Fine Before I Met You,” on Saturday at Powers Auditorium.

“I Was Fine” was written and is being directed by Mike Forney of Youngstown. In February, Forney premiered his play “He Loves Me, She Loves Me Not” at Powers. “I Was Fine” tells a chilling story about a brother and sister who come for the holidays to visit their mother, who is in questionable health. Adding to the suspense is a phone call the sister receives before arriving, that delivers information that could not only destroy her family but also her relationship with her husband.

Michelle McMillan Taylor of Columbus plays the lead role of the daughter.

Taylor is a financial services specialist in that city.

The character of Mama is being played by Renee Johnson of Youngstown, who is a host on 101.9 JAMZ radio station.

The other cast members hail from Youngstown and throughout the Ohio-Pennsylvania region, and a band has been assembled to accompany the stage action.

Forney is a graduate of East High School and a retired corrections officer, who founded the Hot Topix Book Club several years ago.

He has been active as an events promoter as well as a playwright and director.

His first play, the Valentine’s Day offering “He Loves Me, She Loves Me Not” nearly sold out the 2,200-seat Powers Auditorium.