In the past, the Cove Love Café has made offering healthy food for the body its mission.
Now it will also aim to offer healthy food for the mind.
Located at 2809 S. Monroe St. Cove Love will stage the second play in its “Dinner and a Show” series Friday.
The play, “Mahogany: Episode 2,” will be accompanied by a five course meal.
“Mahogany” was written by Taralynn Dorsey, the owner, manager and cook at the Cove; and Donatto Surratt, an environmental science graduate student from Alexandria, La.
LaShaun Tribble, who plays the character Veil, said she was eager to get a role because she wanted to support the cafe.
“My character is a dancer, she strips … which is nothing like me,” said the senior music education student from Miami. “I think it is beautiful that we can put on something like this,” Tribble added.
Surratt, who also directed the first play, “Mahogany: Episode 1,” said he came up with the concept of having dinner and a show to mix social and health consciousness.
“The play is an effort to touch the people and get them to wake up again,” Surratt said. “I’m trying to make a space where you can come to chill.”
Dorsey, who prepares vegetarian and Creole dishes at the Cove regularly, decides what is on Friday night’s menu. She stressed there are alternative ways to not eating fatty foods.
“We want to show everybody a different way of eating. You can have good food and still eat healthy,” Dorsey said.
“Dinner and a Movie” will take place bi-weekly on Fridays. And this weeks’ show will focus on the main character Ebonii Walker, played by Janelle Hoilett, and her connection to the earth.
“Last time we had 40-some-odd people, this time we’re expecting 50 to 65,” said Surratt. “It’s like watching a TV show, hopefully we’ll get a faithful audience.”
The play runs from 8-10 p.m. Tickets are $20 and are available at the cafe. For more information contact Surratt at (850) 575-1888.
akaanke@hotmail.com