Fireflies, a two-hander by Donja R. Love set in September 1963, soon takes a messier turn. It’s the Jim Crow South. and it’s the day after four Black girls were blown to their deaths at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Charles (Al’Jaleel McGhee) and Olivia (Chanell Bell) are civil rights activists.
Love’s script makes frequently reference to the peril facing all Blacks, whether outspoken protestors or silent bystanders. “Seems like death is always greeting a colored person at their front door,” says Charles. Their lives, which fill Olivia’s nightmares, are as fragile as fireflies.
Divergent Paths in Fireflies
Charles travels from one place to another, giving fiery speeches drafted by Olivia, who also keeps track of his schedule and budget. Initially, they appear to have a solid relationship. Later we learn that, despite their shared dedication to racial justice, the couple diverge in almost every other way.
Cigarettes become stand-ins for painful conflicts. Charles openly enjoys a post-coital smoke but does not want Olivia to light up, though not to protect the health of their unborn child. In 1963, the damaging effects of tobacco were little known. The habit is simply “unladylike.” What exactly does ladylike means? Olivia asks. According to Charles, a ladylike woman should be abstemious in personal habits and sexually available to her mate. Race defines much of the Graces’ existence but Charles’ attitude comes straight from a universal male playbook.
