Flint natives Avery Brand and Ernest Mack have created a play that moves like a musical, but uses spoken-word poetry rather than songs.

The pair will bring Clique to The New McCree Theatre Thanksgiving weekend. Billing it as “a poetical,” Brand hopes to set a new standard and bring poetry back to theatre in a big way.

Clique follows high school characters as they struggle with identity, self-esteem, peer pressure and bullying. Originally written in 2008 during Brand’s time teaching a youth summer program at the University of Michigan-Flint, he was encouraged to take it to the public stage.

“I wrote several plays for the students to perform, but this one seemed to stick. It seemed to grab a hold of everyone,” says Brand. “Even though I moved on from teaching the program, they continue to perform this play every summer.”

Yet, the task of producing it for an audience seemed too overwhelming, until Mack offered to work with Brand as the director. In fact, Mack previously directed Clique at the youth program when he took over for Brand as instructor a couple years ago. The duo has come full circle in their collaboration.

“Mack was a former student of mine, but not in the (summer) program,” Brand says. “He asked me to teach him how to perform slam poetry, so I gave him free lessons and got him going, and he ended up pretty much taking over the Flint poetry scene.”

But bringing Clique to the stage with a local adult cast was fraught with challenges – besides the usual struggles of finding committed performers and securing a location.

The production was stalled and almost cancelled after a violent incident involving a cast member who objected to Mack’s directorial criticism.

“I was ready to stop, but he encouraged me,” Brand says. “He wanted to keep going, despite what happened to him.”

Then, later in the production process, a flash flood destroyed much of Brand’s family possessions. But he and Mack forged ahead after Mack insisted. The flood in Dearborn Heights, where Brand, his wife and three children were renting a home, left water chest-high in their bedroom and office areas.

“Basically, everything my wife and I owned was lost,” says Brand. “Our children were safe. Everything turned out fine because everyone was alive, but we lost a lot.”

Brand financed Clique out of his own pocket and had to focus on recovering from the loss and finding a new home, while staying focused on the play. His family moved into their new home two weeks ago. Relieved and happy to be settled in, they’re all looking forward to the upcoming opening of Clique Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.

“I am excited and nervous. I am hoping to see this play finally unfold the way I saw it when I wrote it, or better,” he says. “I am hoping that the audience feels like they have never seen anything like it. I am hoping to set a standard, start something new and bring poetry back.”

For more information and to purchase tickets visit: https://cliquethestageplay.eventbrite.com

 Avery Brand overcame major obstacles to bring his poetic vision, the play Clique, to the New McCree Theatre’s stage.

  Avery Brand, Ernest Mack, Flint arts, Flint poetry, New Mccree Theatre, University of Michigan-Flint

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