Theater Thursday: The House of the Negro Insane

We received complimentary tickets to  The House of the Negro Insane for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: The House of the Negro Insane

Where: 59E59 Theatres

             59 E. 59 St.

             New York, NY 

Who: Recommended for Ages 16 and Up 

When: Through September 6, 2026

The House of the Negro Insane shines a light on a shameful part of America's past that not many people are likely to know about. It tells of a time when facilities allegedly built to house African Americans with mental issues, were also used as dumping grounds for those who were poor and oppressed. These places were not just for adults either. Children were placed there as well.

 

However, despite the darkness of the subject matter, it is really a show about resilience.  Attius, stoically played by Benjamin C. Rowe, is a man resigned to his fate. He just wants to get by as best he can under the circumstances forced upon him. Effie Luttrell, as played by Wadiah Waliah, is a woman who hasn't lost her fire. She won't just accept her fate. When young Madeline arrives, everything changes, and for Effie and gradually for Attius, it becomes all about saving this child. 

Sidney Hatcher plays Madeline without an ounce of precociousness or worldliness. Her innocence and naivety serve to underscore the pathos of her story. It may seem that if a child could be placed in this sorrowful situation, then there's no hope. Yet, it is precisely this child's fate that spurs these two adults into action and creates hope. 

And that's our view. For more information about The House of the Negro Insane or to purchase tickets, go to www.59e59.org/shows/show-detail/the-house-of-the-negro-insane

Tune in Saturday for Still More Theater Saturday.

Photo credits:

All The House of the Negro Insane production photos by Steven Anderson;

Images used in this post were sent by publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used with permission. Address concerns regarding image usage here.

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists

What: Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists 

Where: American Folk Art Museum

             2 Lincoln Square

             New York, NY

Who: All ages

When: Through September 13, 2026 

Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artist examines how untrained artists have depicted themselves in their work. The exhibit features the work of 60 different artists. They include Nicole Appel, Joe Coleman, Mark Hogencamp and Sister Gertrude Morgan to name just a few. 

The exhibits is divided into three sections. In the Self Portraits section artists place themselves in their work. In the Alter Ego section the artists may be presented in a less realistic way. In Autobigraphy artists present themsleves in their own distinctive ways.

And that's our view.  There is no fee to visit the American Folk Art Museum. For more about this exhibit or the museum in general, visit folkartmuseum.org/exhibitions/self-made

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

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Tips for Tuesday - Books: Ship Happens, Cards on the Table & Girls Who Beat the Odds

We may have received complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Books: Ship Happens, Cards on the Table & Girls Who Beat the Odds 

Me - Ship Happens by Mason Deaver follows exes Owen and Jacob as they are forced to spend a week together on a cruise with their mutual friends and finally reconcile their feelings for each other one year after their breakup.

I've read and loved most of Mason Deaver's previous books, and this one was no different. Owen and Jacob were such endearing, realistic characters and complemented each other so well! 

I often struggle with Second Chance romances because I find they're either too focused on the couple's history and not enough on their present (or vice versa), or I find it difficult to believe that a couple who’s already broken up once is going to last. However, neither of those issues was the case here. Most of the story occurred in the present. There were just enough flashback scenes included to provide readers with a strong understanding of how Owen and Jacob fell in love–and then fell apart– originally, while also showing the reignition of those feelings. Additionally, the nature of their breakup combined with their conversations and interactions in the present day made it easy to believe their relationship would absolutely last this second time around. On top of all that, the chemistry and banter between the two of them were great, making for an overall really enjoyable romance!

As usual in Deaver’s books, the story included great themes of friendship, and I liked the dynamics between the various members of Owen and Jacob's friend group. I also appreciated that when drama and tension arose between them, they still maintained their love and care for each other while also holding each other accountable for their missteps and allowing themselves to feel angry about being mistreated.

Mom - Today I am recommending Cards on the Table by Lana Harper and Jilly Gagnon. Sister witches Cassie and Tori are on the brink of homelessness when they receive a too-good-to-be-true offer to spend a season as "witches in residence" to Rose, an elderly widow. Rose's greedy family members only seem concerned with getting their hands on her money. But when something happens to Rose and the money disappears, it seems someone is setting Cassie and Tori up to take the fall.

While this novel touches on the occult, it doesn't really go deep enough to lose the attention of those not particularly interested in the subject. Plus, even being witches, the main characters are more relatable than you would think. Their strong sisterly vibes and their protectiveness of one another are both quite relatable and extremely touching

Some aspects of the story were fairly standard, like the characterizations of some of Rose's relatives and the rude way they behaved. Others could be refreshingly surprising, making the story enjoyably unpredictable at times. The ending was both surprising and satisfying. 

Mom- Today I am also recommending The Girls Who Beat the Odds by Maj, Gen. Mari K. Eder. This book, like the recent See It Be It by Billie Jean King, which you can read about here, is about trailblazers in women's sports. However, while that book focuses entirely on particular women, this one covers more women in more sports. 

At the beginning, each chapter covers a specific woman involved with a specific sport. Many of these women are unlikely to be familiar to most people since their achievements occurred before the ubiquitous televising of sports. However, as the book goes on, chapters cover more women in more sports and trace how things changed for women (and how they didn't) after the advent of Title IX. It is fascinating and informative to learn about these trailblazing women, although at times it feels like the sports and/or athletes being covered change too quickly and some get much more coverage than others. It is also kind of infuriating to learn that even with all the advances in women's sports, we still have a long way to go to achieve true equity, which is, of course, not the fault of the author of the book.

And that's our view. Ship Happens was published on August 18, 2026. Cards on the Table was published today. Girls Who Beat the Odds will be published next Tuesday, September 8, 2026.

Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

All pictures used in this post are our own.   Address any concerns regarding image usage here.