The title What Men Don’t Say in itself stirs up a plethora of emotions from women and especially men. Many of these emotions originate from experiences, perception and history with both genders as well as their interaction with the opposite gender.
https://youtu.be/71-gME27rXw
The truth is that men and women are different in so many ways, but in the same regard they are alike and often times connected. The understanding of this truth inspired myself, Mone’t Bradley – founder of Mercy Outreach Ministries, & JD Weeks, CEO of J Weeks Entertainment, to co-write the dynamic stage play “What Men Don’t Say.” This piece of artistry paints an accurate picture of the literal experience of how it is to be a man in every sense.
For a moment let’s think about some of the differences as well as the double standards placed both on men and women. One example is women are free to cry and articulate love, fear, anger, and even pain through her words. Yet men do not have the same freedom, they rarely are allowed to let down their guard down without being judged as weak, inferior, or feminine. Often times men suffer in silence and struggle with issues of low self-esteem, insecurity, fear, or illness among other things. These issues sometime manifest themselves in different ways and cause men to have issues with intimate relationships, negative images, grief, and put a sense of unattainable expectations on them from others.
It’s often said that inside of every woman there is a little girl who had hopes, dreams, and feelings. If that is true then certainly in every man there is a little boy, right? The question now is what kind of lessons did that little boy learn while growing up? I once heard a quote that was profound, it simply stated that “all behavior is either learned, acquired, or taught.” I find this to be a very true statement that points to the fact that us as humans are the products of information that was given or shown to us since infancy.
This stage play What Men Don’t Say addresses many of the issues men face and answers some questions on why men in some instances respond the way they do. I believe that patrons who come to see this play will be empowered with information; for some their perspective will be challenged and many will see themselves or someone they know in these characters.
Anacostia Arts Center
1231 Good Hope Road, SE,
Washington, DC 20020
June 18th, 201 AT 5:00 PM & 8:00 PM
Ticket Price: $25
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS HERE.
*This article was written by Mone’t Bradley, of Mercy Outreach Ministries, who the play’s co-writer.
