B.R.O.K.E.N code
B.I.R.D SWITCHING
Every Bird Knows Two Songs.
An AWARD-WINNING PLAY BY TARA L. WILSON NOTH
DeAnna Supplee in BCBS Play BTG Photos by Emma K. Rothenberg-Ware and Jacey Rae Russell
AWARD recipient
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CRITICAL ACCLAIM
BROADWAY WORLD REGIONAL WINNER
BEST NEW PLAY, BEST ACTRESS, BEST DIRECTOR
The award-winning play, B.R.O.K.E.N. Code B.I.R.D. Switching was workshopped in Los Angeles and made its world premiere at the renowned Berkshire Theatre Group, one of the most prestigious theaters in the country, with nearly 100 years of groundbreaking productions. As a 2022 National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient, the play took center stage during that summer season, delivering a powerful and thought-provoking debut. Under the visionary direction of Kimille Howard - Assistant Director at the Metropolitan Opera - the production captivated audiences with its raw emotion and powerful storytelling.
From standing ovations to thought-provoking conversations, B.R.O.K.E.N. Code B.I.R.D. Switching left an unforgettable mark in The Berkshires, earning praise from both critics and audiences. Now, it’s your turn to experience the impact.
STAGED READING OF THE AWARD-WINNING PLAY B.R.O.K.E.N CODE B.I.R.D SWITCHING, FOLLOWED BY A COMMUNITY TALK BACK FEATURING ATLANTA'S FOREMOST THOUGHT-LEADERS
“A POWERFUL PIECE OF THEATRE...LEAVES THE VIEWER MOUTH AGAPE SAYING ‘WOW’.” ~ MARC SAVITT, BROADWAY WORLD “RICHLY INSIGHTFUL AND GENUINELY PASSIONATE...INCISIVE AND PIERCING.” ~ FRED SOKOL TALKIN’ BROADWAY “A NEW CLASSIC...THIS IS A PLAY YOU MUST SEE.” ~ PETER BERGMAN, BERKSHIRE EDGE
words from the playwright
B.R.O.K.E.N Code B.I.R.D Switching tells the story of a woman tasked with representing a black teenager “from the other side of town” accused of murdering a white man in his sleep. In her search for the truth, she is forced to face her own devastating truths about marriage, race, and the woman she’s chosen to be.
The first draft of this play was written in 2007. Before the first black president held office. Before the term “code switching” became part of popular vernacular to speak of the imaginary line people of color must often straddle. Before a police officer knelt the life out of a black man, and the entire world was set ablaze. And yet...The play speaks to the very heart of the conversations being had today. Its relevance now sharpened with time, not dulled. This is the story of a black woman who after unspeakable tragedy, begins to question the foundations on which her life is built....Her marriage to her white husband, the willful ignorance of her social circle, the veil of wealth and privilege of the world in which she has chosen to inhabit, and the injustices that are laid bare when she chooses to look beneath it.
Fear, criminality, social and systematic racism are all interwoven in the fabric of the play. It is a story of race and identity, of promise and purpose, but at its core, I believe, it is a story of the potency of being seen. The universal idea of wanting to be seen for who we are. This is explored through the main character's journey, but she also finds this commonality with the youth she is representing. I wanted the play to question our fundamental belief of right and wrong. For us to ask the “why” that leads this boy to where he is and to understand that there are those whose choices aren’t always ones made by them, but for them. The play begs us to look at who he is, to see his dreams and the potential he had for his life and not just the crime that he is accused of committing.
The play’s inspiration came from a story I read about a photographer who would sneak into prisons to take pictures of inmates, giving them a chance to be seen. These people that had been cast away and literally kept out of society's view. Made to be invisible. I thought it was so fascinating the parallel that could be drawn between this woman in the midst of personal heartbreak and moral crisis, and this teenage prisoner locked up in a cell for a murder he may or may not have committed. The power of what it means to be seen and the everlasting ramifications when we are not. It is through a photographer's lens that both these characters ultimately find their truth, and it is my hope this play allows us to turn our lens to each other and ask ourselves to not just look but to actually see. When we truly see each other we can finally begin an honest dialogue.
Tara L. Wilson Noth
Let’s Gather.
CODED FOR CONVERSATION
with Journalist & Preservationist Ann Hill Bond
ATLANTA JUNE 18th
Join us for an evening of dining, theatre, and thought-provoking dialogue. Together, we'll explore powerful community stories and engage in conversations that resonate far beyond the stage. It's an immersive Urban Salon that feeds the body, inspires the mind, and ignites the soul.
Ann Hill Bond is the Community Engagement Editor at Capital B Atlanta, where she uplifts community voices through storytelling rooted in Black history and civic engagement. Jamaican-born and Ghana-raised with deep Southern roots, she brings a global perspective and a local passion to her work. Ann began her journalism career in 2016, following over a decade of work with children and families. Her writing has appeared in The Atlanta Voice, Canopy Atlanta, and beyond, and she has led initiatives like the “Change the Name: It’s Not a Riot, It’s a Massacre” campaign.
She also serves as Senior Policy Manager at the Center for Civic Innovation, where she leads equity-focused collaborations in policy, public history, and organizing. A MacArthur Journalism and Media Leader and award-winning storyteller, Ann is also the curator of Coded for Conversation, a series centering healing and collective memory.
