PERFORMANCES BEFORE A LIVE AUDIENCE

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LIVE  LIKE  LEEYA  LLC  PRESENTS 'THE  REALITY' AUG.25

Stephanie Rodrigues' Christian play, "The Reality," will be presented by Live Like Leeya LLC in Tampa, Florida on August 25th. Article originally published August 15, 2019.

▶ BY KEVIN SCOTT COLLIER
   The world of Christian theater is about to get a reality check. The Reality, a stage play presented by Live Like Leeya, LLC, addresses the reality of struggles faced by youth today. It premieres in Tampa, FL, at the end of August.
   The content of the production ponders a misconception that church kids do not  experience the same struggles or temptations as kids who have not grown up in religious homes. As promotional literature about the play states, “But the reality is, not only do they experience the same issues as others, the pressure of being a ‘church kid’ and the expectation that comes with that, sometimes can force an adolescent to make bad decisions while trying to cover it all up in the process.”
   There is hope, of course, as, “What's done in the dark, will always come to the light.”
   The play is written by Live Like Leeya founder and CEO, Stephanie Rodrigues. Her organization sprang to life after tragedy.
   “I started the LLC November 1, 2018, about 3 months after my daughter, Leeya, passed away,” Rodrigues told CM. “I needed a sense of purpose and to feel like her name would live on. She was diagnosed with her illness at nine months. She died at five years old, but her rambunctious, infectious personality did not reflect her circumstance. I’d like to continue to write things that reflect her approach to life.”
   A godly servant, Rodrigues knows that with faith, joy can be found even in the most dire of circumstances.
   “Be happy and persevere even in your struggles,” she said.  
   The Reality will be presented live at the University of South Florida Theater 1, located at 3839 USF Holly Drive, Tampa, Florida, Sunday, August 25, 2019, from 5:00 to 7:30 pm, EDT. The play showcases the talents of Jasmine LeBlanc, Jovan Hayes, Jayden Dulcet, Shiasia Burton, Willie Jackson, Joshua Dupree, Sydni Belles, Samantha Gomez and Stephanie Rodriguez.
   Not to worry if you cannot physically attend the event, Live Like Leeya, LLC will record the performance for a DVD release of The Reality. An upcoming news brief will announce when it becomes available and a link to purchase it.
  Rodrigues explained she wants young patrons who view the performance to understand they are not alone with their thoughts and life-altering experiences.
   “I want them to have a voice and speak up about what they are going through,” she said. “I also want them to see how not having a voice, or hiding their internal struggles, can have a detrimental effect.”
   For adults, Rodrigues desires that they think twice before judging the youth.
   “I want them to remember what it was like to be young,” Rodrigues conveyed. “And to start and have that conversation with their kids, to let them know they are supported, and loved, and that they can come to them with anything! And most of all, I want everyone to walk away with a reminder that Jesus loves us all! Flaws and all!”
   Tickets for the event are $18 per person and available via PayPal. Be sure to include mailing address to receive your physical tickets in the mail. For credit card purchasing options, order tickets directly on the Eventbrite website. These tickets are also available at Ticketmaster.com. For more information on special group rates consisting of ten or more, contact Live Like Leeya, LLC.
   Rodrigues conveyed that there might be more stage plays up the road for Live Like Leeya, LLC, depending on the success and positive feedback regarding The Reality.
   “There is a part two script written for this story,” she explained. “So hopefully continued success with this play will happen, in order to have the financial means to travel with this play and/or put on part two.”  8/15/19

PLAY  'CLOWN  IN  THE  PRAYER  CLOSET'  MOVING  TO  TV

Talents Lisa Bryant, Derriecia Maxon, Kevin Thibodeaux and Nisha Brown. 

  You shouldn't tell Lisa B. Media owner and founder Lisa Bryant to stop clowning around. She’s made a ministry of it. Her Clown in the Prayer Closet will soon become a streaming sitcom series.
  “This journey started as a book titled, Clown In The Prayer Closet, then a movie,” Bryant told CM. “We are still performing the stage play and now God has given me a Sitcom!”
   A writer of urban Christian fiction, Bryant announced will be filmed in front of a live audience followed by a panel discussion on the subject. The first episode of CITPC, titled Train a Child In The Way They Shall Go, will be recorded this October 5 at RC's Event Center in San Leandro, California. The filming will also be streamed live via their website.
  “The whole world will have a chance to watch us film it,” she explained. “We will show the edited version on February 8, 2020.”
  Byrant stated that a new episode will be filmed and streamed per month. The show runs 28:30, allowing spots for advertisers.
  “Clown In The Prayer Closet takes you on a mental journey of life, puppy love, sex, drugs, and dysfunctional family life told through the eyes of a sixteen-year-old young lady named Denise,” she conveyed. “An ageless story of love, rebellion, denial and redemption. Appropriate for all ages.
 Main players include Derriecia Maxon in the role of Denise, Nisha Brown as evangelist (and Denise’s mother) Millie Ann, and Kevin Thibodeaux as father of Denise.
  Audience tickets for the filming of the first episode are available from Brown Paper Tickets. Visit the Clown in the Prayer Closet event page on Facebook.