In 1944 a black domestic woman in Cuthbert, Georgia killed her long-time white lover/abuser after a night of drinking and arguing. He had kept her imprisoned in his mill for an entire day, then returned to have forced sex with her. She refused, they fought, she killed him. Lena was arrested that day in April. Her trial was held in August and lasted only four ½ hours. The deliberation of the jury of twelve...
In 1944 a black domestic woman in Cuthbert, Georgia killed her long-time white lover/abuser after a night of drinking and arguing. He had kept her imprisoned in his mill for an entire day, then returned to have forced sex with her. She refused, they fought, she killed him. Lena was arrested that day in April. Her trial was held in August and lasted only four ½ hours. The deliberation of the jury of twelve white men lasted ½ hour on the same day. She was found guilty and was sentenced to die. In March, 1945 Lena was transferred to Reidsville Prison, a male prison and where she became the first and only woman to die in Georgia’s electric chair. On August 30, 2005, Ms. Lena Baker was finally granted a posthumous pardon by the State of Georgia Pardons and Parole Board in a ceremony attended by the playwright in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Who Will Sing for Lena
Recommended by
Chelsea Frandsen:
27 Jul. 2022
“
One of the best solo plays I've read in a long time. This piece, is agonizing, timely, important. Lena is a woman I will never forget. ”
Emma Goldman-Sherman:
6 Feb. 2022
“
BRILLIANT, 1 of the most theatrical, moving experiences I've ever had (and I saw it online), this play sings/moans & begs us to pay attention, and I will never forget. Liddell uses her incredible gifts of language and focus so that 1 actor/character and her pov inhabits a whole world (not by shifting into other characters) but by staying with the story, with the body, with the experience from Lena's point of view in such a way that it remains emblazoned on my memory. A great blessing! ”
Marj O'Neill-Butler:
20 Feb. 2020
“
This long monologue is enlightening, historical and above all sad. Sad because a woman, especially a black woman, in the 40's had few choices about her life. Liddell brings Lena to life. We see her, we feel for her, we agonize for her. A really special piece. ”
Lena is a Black, poor domestic and looks the role.
Can be played by:
Age:
30s, 40s
Race/Ethnicity:
Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
Gender:
Female
Production History
Community Theater
,
Mondial du Theatre, Monaco (International Festival of Amateur Theatres)
,
2021
Community Theater
,
The Lexington Players
,
2020
Professional
,
Haymarket Theatre
,
2019
Professional
,
Atlanta Black Theatre Festival, Atlanta, GA
,
2016
Professional
,
United Solo Theatre Festival, NYC
,
2016
Professional
,
Denver, Colorado, And Toto Too Theatre,
,
2014
Professional
,
Hickory North Carolina, Hickory Community Theatre
,
2014
University
,
Walthan MA, Brandeis University, Conference: “Disrupting the Script: Raising to Legal Consciousness Sexual Assault Against Black Women,” Convened by Drs. Anita Hill
,
2012
University
,
Mumbai, India, Women Playwrights International Conference