Franklin playwright invited to BroadwayCom event
Award-winning playwright and Dramatists Guild of America member Ed “Tiger” Verdin of Franklin has received an invitation to BroadwayCon, the world’s largest theatrical convention, held in New York City.
Verdin also received an invitation to the 2020 9/11 Day of Remembrance Ceremony at the World Trade Center Memorial. This came after Verdin and former New York Giants player Leonard Marshall, a two-time Super Bowl winner from Verdin’s hometown of Franklin, began discussing a potential Broadway run.
Despite the global pandemic and economic instability impacting Broadway, the theater scene is currently experiencing a resurgence, Verdin said.
Although the BroadwayCon invitation was for one, Verdin asked the organizing committee if his producer, Marshall, and fellow award-winning playwright Ifa Bayeza could join him for a session titled “Righting History by Writing History.”
He shared his mentoring motto: “Never let anyone steal your spotlight, but always be willing to share it.” Organizers agreed.
Verdin, a member of the United Houma Nation tribe, often focuses on stories reflective of his federally unrecognized indigenous heritage.
His works include “The Forgotten Healer,” which tells the story of Dr. Emma Wakefield-Palliet, Louisiana’s first African American woman doctor in 1897.
She was finally recognized by the state of Louisiana in 2017 thanks to the efforts of Dr. Phebe Hayes and the Iberia African American Historical Society. Verdin and composer Kenneth Perry Jr. recently won 10 BroadwayWorld Regional Awards for their first musical, “The Quarters,” which explores the whole history of slavery in the Deep South.
“The Quarters” was an ArtSpark Grant recipient from the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette. His current play, “Jubilè,” highlights an unrecognized World War II operation involving the newly formed U.S. Army Rangers and Allied troops, including 2nd Lt. Edward V. Loustalot, the first American casualty on Nazi-occupied territory, whom also hailed from Franklin..
Verdin also collaborated with Bayeza, who was commissioned by the Iberia African American Historical Society to tell the story of Bunk Johnson, a forgotten jazz legend who taught Louis Armstrong to play the coronet.
Bayeza, a Harvard graduate, has an impressive repertoire, including “The Till Trilogy” and “The Ballad of Emmett Till.” She co-wrote “Some Sing, Some Cry” with her sister, Ntozake Shange, known for “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf.”
Marshall began his football career at Franklin High School and later at LSU, where he was an All-American defensive lineman. Drafted by the New York Giants in 1983, he achieved significant success, including Pro Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl wins.
After football, Marshall founded Pro Star Athletic and engaged in various business ventures, including roles with the Playbook Franchise Fund and Seeman Holtz Financial Group. He has also been involved in philanthropy and co-authored “When the Cheering Stops,” a book about the Giants’ 1990 championship season.
Marshall’s passion is driven by his own unrecognized history. Although he was finally inducted into the New York Giants Ring of Honor last year, he remains unrecognized by the NFL Hall of Fame although his statistics warrant the honor, Verdin said.
His determination in leaving a lasting legacy from Louisiana through New York and across the United States forms his drive and passion that led him to the top ranks of the NFL.
Together, Marshall and Verdin are working to bring “Undying Love” and other productions to Broadway and across the country. The play delves into the profound impact of the 9/11 attacks on a married couple working in the World Trade Center, highlighting the intertwining of their personal journey with the broader national tragedy.
BroadwayCon, taking place July 26-28, is a three-day event on Broadway in New York City where fans can meet and interact with Broadway stars, see new and exciting shows, and engage with industry professionals. It also showcases Broadway’s newest and most exciting shows.
Past notable participants have included Lin Manuel Miranda, Anthony Rapp, Ariana DeBose, Chita Rivera, Ben Platt, Andre DeShields, Idina Minzel, Cast of Hamilton, Jonathan Groff, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Nick Walker, Jenn Colella, with show spotlights from this year’s Tony Award winners, “The Outsiders” and “The Suffs,” as well as the current Broadway musical “SIX.”