Synopsis:

On the South side of Pittsburgh, there is a business district that’s stretches along East Carson Street, which is home to shop owner, Kevin Evans, who struggles to keep his life together amidst his estranged brother missing in New Orleans and a failing marriage.  Contrary to Popular Belief is a play about love, betrayal, regret, and forgiveness surrounding the controversial events of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.  The play is set in Kevin’s shop, Debonair’s, in the fall of 2005 in the critical hours of the warning to evacuate New Orleans.  In the midst of this national disaster the characters in this play must find a way to cope as they also deal with going through the storms in their personal lives.  With the revealing of dark family secrets, infidelity, and the threat a Debonair’s license to operate being revoked, Kevin and the shop employees take us on a journey through their personal storms as they struggle to keep their head above water to survive. Contrary to Popular belief explores the causes of the unaddressed stress levels causing hyper tension for many African Americans, questions the government, and addresses the domino effect racism has played on the state of many black communities today.

Written by Nathan James

Directed by Cezar Williams

Stage directions are being read by Stori Ayers .