Dear Community,

I've done something, and I want to share it with you. My one-woman show, Pulling It All Into the Current, is coming to NYC from September 1st to 8th, and while I would love for you to be there in person, right now, I need your support in a different way.

As a Black lesbian, my journey has been one of navigating identity and pursuing authenticity in a world that often tries to dim our shine, "other" us, and deny our beings as an essential part of the whole. This show is about bringing all those pieces together—about unveiling the "us" within them and them within us. It’s a space where our stories and experiences as Black, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and gender-expansive people are celebrated, not relegated to trauma porn or existential folly. For me, this is more than a performance—it's us taking our rightful place alongside everyone else.

However, I need your help to make it happen. I'm raising $2,500 to cover the costs of transportation, lodging, set, theatre technicians, and marketing for this NYC run. The festival provides the theatre and some PR support, but the rest is on us.

Your contribution, whatever the amount, will help bring this show to life and ensure our stories are seen and heard. I would be so grateful for your support in making this vision a reality.

In solidarity and love,

Letta Neely

About the Play:

Pulling It All Into the Current is a personal and socially resonant performance driven by raw emotion and deep insights. Through a fusion of poetry, storytelling, and dramatic performance, Letta breathes life into a diverse array of characters—from teenagers to veterans, elders to addicts, and queers to teachers. These interconnected narratives grapple with themes of love, struggle, resilience, and transformation, making her performance a testament to the impact of personal and collective histories. The play urges viewers to confront and embrace the complexities of their own lives and the world around them.

Letta’s unique voice, shaped by her experiences growing up in the Mapleton Fall Creek neighborhood of Indianapolis, adds authenticity and emotional depth to her work. Abe Rybeck, founder of the acclaimed Theatre Offensive, exclaimed, "Letta's work is absolutely vital." Her dedication to amplifying the voices of Black, LGBTQ+, and marginalized communities is evident in her journey as a playwright and poet.

Pulling It All Into The Current has earned several prestigious awards, including 'Best Drama' and 'Best Direction' at the United Solo Festival at Theatre Row (New York, NY). It has been performed at notable venues such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Boston Playwrights' Theatre (Boston, MA), Mariposa Museum and World Culture Center (Peterborough, NH), and The Storefront Theatre (Indianapolis, IN).

Performance Details:

Location: Theater For The New City, 155 1st Ave., New York, NY 10003

Sunday, 9/1 at 2 pm

Tuesday, 9/3 at 6:30 pm

Thursday, 9/5 at 6:30 pm

Saturday, 9/7 at 8 pm

Sunday, 9/8 at 5 pm

Tickets:

Tickets are available for $20. You can purchase tickets directly through this link:

Tickets for Current at TNC

This performance offers a unique opportunity to engage with the complexities of identity in a live, dynamic setting. It provides a rich, immersive learning experience that complements academic discussions in Gender, Queer, and Black Studies. Letta and I would be glad to discuss planning a talkback session on campus after seeing the performance, during which Letta and I can be available to discuss the play's themes and production with your students.

Testimonial:

In sheer awe, Susan L. Taylor, editor-in-chief emerita of Essence Magazine, exclaimed, "I'm stunned. It is brilliantly stunning that anyone could capture life so powerfully, poignantly, and commit it to memory. It was raw, real, and absolutely stunning. Thank you!" Her words resonate with the sentiments of many who the play has deeply moved. "People need to rush to the theatre to see this, they do," Taylor continued. "In many ways, it was the confirmation that I think that we all need that we're all ok, and we're on this ledge, and we can make it, we can fly."