Grand Valley State University’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance (MTD) premiered their play “Intimate Apparel” on Friday, Nov. 15 at the Linn Maxwell Keller Black Box Theatre.

The play, which was written by Lynn Nottage and directed by GVSU Professor Demetria Thomas, follows a Black seamstress in New York City at the turn of the 20th century. Throughout the play, she searches for love and fulfillment among a community of others who are looking for the same thing. The audience got to watch as the seamstress made decisions rooted in affection, and a desire for connection. 

MTD’s choice to show “Intimate Apparel” was intentional. This was the first time in the past 15 years that the University’s theatre program had produced a play written by an African American female playwright.   

“As a Black tenure track professor, I wanted the opportunity to tell stories about Black people, Black love and Black life,” Thomas said. “This piece fit right into those categories. It’s a lovely story about love (and) searching for real connection between human beings. (It shows) how challenging that can be, but also how wonderful it is when it happens.”

Thomas hoped the audience would relate beyond its heartfelt story, and learn from the universal need for connection that goes beyond race, gender, sexual identity and cultural background. She emphasized that people desire to feel connected to others and that, because of certain social and political constraints, some people have a harder time finding true connections than others.  

“I want the audience to really respect (the seamstress), and search for that connection,” Thomas said.

Shayna Davis, a GVSU senior in the theatre program, played the role of the seamstress. She said that her character emphasized the struggle of social hierarchy, especially as a married woman in the 20th century.

“(The issue) is more so the social hierarchy and (how) at the turn of the century, you were expected to be married and start having children (at a certain age),” Davis said. “(My character) defied that social aspect because she was 35 years old, (and) was expected to be married by at least (the age of) 23.” 

Davis’ character struggled with social and gender norms throughout the play, and experienced social exclusion such as not being invited to parties and community events. When her character finally marries, the audience watches her move up in the social hierarchy, but after the marriage starts to suffer, so does her character’s social status. 

“The plot to me means that there are students that you have to let speak,” Davis said. “You cannot settle in the things that you cannot control, but you have the power to change the things that you can.” 

Davis hoped the audience took away the message that individuals should not follow what everyone else in society is doing, but rather represent who they are as individuals. 

“Intimate Apparel” will be showing again in the Black Box Theatre from Nov. 21-24.