THE STORY: May N'Kame, the mother of an African dictator, travels to England to see Dr. Cora Gage about medical treatment for her failing eyesight. Dr. Gage uses the consultation as an opportunity to raise the issue of the imprisonment of some of her colleagues. Meanwhile, May N'Kame's true motive in visiting the doctor is to obtain a poison with which to kill her murderous son. GOING TO ST. IVES is the story of two impressive women brought together by that which is personal and divided by that which is political as both seek to accomplish the greatest good.

Lower Bottom Playaz, is Oakland’s oldest Black theater troupe, founded and led by Ayodele “Wordslanger” Nzinga, MFA, PhD. Known for their transformative and site-specific productions, they are the only company in the world to chronologically stage all ten plays in August Wilson’s American Century Cycle. Their work blends classic and contemporary Black narratives, including original pieces like Mama at Twilight: Love by Death and urban adaptations like Shakespeare in the Yard. 26 years ago they did theater on a stage in a yard in West Oakland.  They are now based at BAM House, a Black cultural center at 1540 Broadway in downtown Oakland, within the Black Arts Movement Business District.