Powell Center Fellows Attend The Overwhelming
Review by Lindsay White, Powell Fellow

This past November, seven Colin Powell fellows attended a performance of the Off-Broadway political thriller, The Overwhelming, at the Roundabout Theater by special invitation of Linda Powell, who costarred in the drama. Ms. Powell, who turned in a poignant performance, is a member of the board of advisors of the Powell Center.

In stark contrast to the typical glitz of Broadway, The Overwhelming, which has finished its run, spoke to the inner conscience and challenged viewers to consider a world beyond their own. It introduced the audience to a travesty unwinding in a country torn by segregation.

The drama began with an American professor arriving in Kigali, Rwanda, in early 1994. Drawn by a desperate need to acquire tenure at his university, the professor has come in search of a juicy research topic, bringing along with his intellectual wife and clever, but apathetic son.

His plan is to meet up with an old friend and potential coauthor, who has been working with AIDS-infected children in Rwanda. Although the professor arrives expecting to make an immense impact with his generous American heart, his chivalry unravels when he realizes that his friend has disappeared, and that everyone from the local police to United Nations soldiers denies knowledge of his whereabouts.

While the professor is forced to search for his buddy, his family is left to explore the complicated social terrain of Rwanda. In a tangled web of deception related to the politics of the country, both his wife and son become involved in matters that force them to confront their ignorance and ultimately put all of their lives in danger.

Through its portrayal of an American family naively trying to puzzle out Rwanda’s complexities, the play enabled audience members to consider their own attitudes and cultural misconceptions. The pre-genocidal backdrop of The Overwhelming also brought to life much of the history that intrigues the Powell Center fellows. In particular, it addressed their experiences studying countries torn by civil war and international strife and, for several fellows, inspired new approaches to their work and explorations.

After excellent performances by Ms. Powell and the rest of the cast, the fellows attended a post-play discussion led by Jason Phillips of the International Rescue Committee, which helped to restore Rwanda in the aftermath of the genocide. Phillips encouraged audience members to share their opinions of the storyline and ask questions about Rwanda’s current conditions. Many viewers participated, including Powell Center Fellow Ethan Frisch, who shared aspects of his experience traveling to Africa as witness to the aftermath of civil war.