In the aftermath of the 1963 Birmingham church bombing, a grieving father battles
PTSD, faith, and the ghosts of America’s racial violence in a searing one-act monologue.
Daniel, father of one of the four girls killed in the KKK’s 16th Street Baptist Church bombing,
recounts his life before and after the tragedy. Through poetic storytelling, he grapples with shell
shock, ancestral ties to Africa, and a vengeful temptation symbolized by a blue tie. Jason E.
Carmichael embodies Daniel’s anguish, shifting between a “twangy Satan,” a “chasm-voiced
God,” and his lost daughter’s chirpy laughter. Directed by Bruce Lumpkin, Tied is a visceral
journey through trauma, resilience, and redemption.
Creative Team:
Crystal Rae (Playwright): Award-winning Houston playwright (White Man on the Bus), hailed for
“effortless, poetic writing fragrant with meaning.”
Jason E. Carmichael (Director / Star Performer): Delivers a “tour de force” performance, channeling Daniel’s
fractured psyche with “razor-sharp precision.”
The Experience
Why See It:
Unflinching Storytelling: Confronts the FBI’s cover-up, delayed justice, and generational trauma.
Design: Santiago Sepeda’s porch set (wash bucket, rag doll, faded newspaper) transforms under
Nicholas Ochoa’s lighting—from dappled sunlight to “blood-red terror.”
Legacy: Honors the Civil Rights Act’s origins while questioning America’s unresolved racial
wounds.
“Did you know there was one little girl who survived that blast at 16th Street Baptist Church? Her name is Sarah Collins Rudolph “the 5th little girl” and she will be in attendance to see Tied!!! The show WE are taking to NYC. Not just me, WE! US! Because of you we can honor current living heros and heroines of the Civil Rights movement! Joy! See you there! 11/11/25 Theatre Row NYC -United Solo Festival.” – Crystal Rae ‘Playwright’
To purchase TIED’S NYC United Solo performance tickets click the following link. TIED
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