Love Set the Stage for ICU’s Premiere

For many, theatre is the pulse of this city. Many high-budget, big productions light up Broadway and dazzle theatergoers. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the power of theatre does not exist exclusively on the stages of Broadway. You can witness the power of theater on small stages, with simple sets, with friends, family and strangers.

Over the weekend, SC Murray premiered her new play ICU at the Actors Temple Theatre, and almost immediately I could feel the power of Sweet2theSoul’s intimate production. It brought a crowded room together to enjoy the work of artists, to reflect, and to explore a love story that evoked laughs, gasps, and contemplation.

I appreciated the intimacy of the production and had a front row seat as SC Murray welcomed the audience and dedicated the play to her husband. Actor “Lady Robin, The Songstress” opened the play with a captivating a cappella performance, singing her signature song Summertime by George and Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward. After the light lit the first scene, the cast of four delivered a sci-fi drama that explored the redemptive power of love and forgiveness in a futuristic world.

The story begins with married couple Benjamin (Edward Passmore) and Leeya (Allyson Jones) training and preparing diligently for a battle in a small, isolated cottage. We soon learn that Benjamin’s mother, the domineering Lady Veronica (“Lady Robin, The Songstress”) is leading a war and has her sights set on the two lovers. Armed with a dark and taunting laugh, Blight (Ryan King) – one of Lady Veronica’s Henchmen – infiltrates the couple’s cottage. Blight splinters the relationship between husband and wife, causing them to examine their past, their love and choose between fear or faith.

Written, directed and produced by SC Murray, the artist said love inspired the play, along with her commitment to inspiring the creative community.

“Often times we get so inside of ourselves and are just riddled with negativity,” she said.

“I hope that is what my audience takes: the message of love, the message of forgiveness, the message of reconciliation.”

While audiences draw out these themes of love and forgiveness in ICU, the play allows “Lady Robin, The Songstress” to indulge in a rollickingly villainous turn—if only for an hour—and the kind of role she’s long desired to play.

“I very much wanted to play a British Villainess, and SC Murray allowed me that – she indulged me in that.”

“I enjoyed coming out of my nice, kind, giving “Mama Robin” self and walking around for an hour in shoes I shouldn’t be wearing,” she said.

The one-night only performance was a great reminder of how theatre lets so many ideas and forces play out against one another—love and hate, good and evil, heroism and villainy. “Lady Robin, The Songstress” captured that magic and immediacy when she described the rehearsal process for ICU.

“For five weeks I’ve had a chance to really do what theatre is—we played!”