Background: The Pen is Mightier than the Sword: “I began to write MARY SPEAKS in August 2015. It had been a long, hot, and violent summer. The rash of shootings of unarmed black men over 3 years came to a tipping point with the death of Mike Brown in Ferguson, MO. That one incident pushed pen to paper. I had read reports that said his body had been left out on the streets uncovered for hours and that his mother tried desperately to get through to see if it was indeed her son. Something in the story felt familiar. I was immediately reminded of the story of the crucifixion. In that moment, I saw Mary at the foot of the cross and it hit me. All of these Black mothers were Mary.” - Angela Polite General Admission: $20; Seniors: $10; Students: $5.