The Strand Theatre in Dorchester and Company One Theatre host the world premiere of Josh Wilder’s play “Leftovers” through August 18. The play follows brothers Jalil and Kwamaine who struggle to reconcile their dreams with their reality as black men in South Philly. Through a lens of magical realism, the play turns a humorous, poignant eye to the position of young men of color in the U.S.
Playwright Josh Wilder. Photo courtesy of Company One Theatre.
The critical action of the show centers on a giant dandelion that sprouts on Jalil and Kwamaine’s lawn and starts granting wishes. This fantastical plot functions as escapism for the two brothers and allows Wilder to tell the story of tough circumstances in a more lighthearted way. “There’s something about watching two young, black men seeing their wishes come true that brings so much hope,” says director Summer L. Williams. “In a world that always tells them they can’t, this says they can.”
Kadahj Bennett, who plays Jalil, says the cast sat down with therapists to discuss what was going on in the boys’ psyches to produce this fantasy. Though the show is comic and positive, the cast wanted to understand the serious undertones as well. Lyndsay Allyn Cox, the only woman in the show, who plays the two boys’ single mother, says one of the play’s strengths is its relatability. She recalls a group of school-aged kids who came to a rehearsal and said Cox sounded just like their own mothers.
Both Cox and Bennett say they see quite a bit of themselves and their own experience in the show. Cox says she sees a bit of every black woman she knows in her own character. Bennett grew up with a single mother after his father passed, and their family had an important connection to black television, which plays a big role in the show. “I love how black this production is,” says Bennett. “It’s very black, it’s very urban, but it’s also about following your dreams.”
Every show is “pay-what-you-wish,” with a zero-dollar minimum and a 10-dollar recommendation. Williams says, “This is not about making an assumption about the people who would come to this theater. It’s about theater being of and for the people.” Proceeds contribute to future efforts to make theater more accessible.
The Strand Theatre itself plays a role in the show, grounding the production in Dorchester, a neighborhood inhabited by people of color. Bennett says, “I grew up here in Dorchester, I even worked at the Strand as a kid. It’s awesome that people can see the stories here. Everything about it reminds me of my childhood.”
