Mariah Scott is a successful creative, but community and healing are equal passions. The writer and actress behind the one-woman performance “The Crown She Wears”, which recently came to the Birmingham Children’s Theatre thanks to a collaboration with The Flourish and The Black Birmingham Repertory Theatre Collective, has used her personal experiences to inspire others. We were able to ask Scott, who also appeared in the acclaimed short film “Mama Loves Me” and performed at a G-League Halftime event, about some of the inspiration behind her work and her experience in Alabama.
“I did not grow up doing much in theater. It actually started with performance. I did a lot of poetry performances and this was my introduction into being able to perform and express myself, Mariah shares, “Later on in college, I had the opportunity to do a little more production.” Scott grew up in Wisconsin but went to college at DePaul University and went to the University of Syracuse for her Master's degree. Both had great theater programs that greatly impacted Mariah’s transformations in this growing passion.
The world of academia sparked and grew Scott’s passion for theatrical arts, but it would be a program in New York City (where she currently resides) that provided more of a “deep dive” into what it takes to really make a production. The creation of “The Crown She Wears” came after Scott was encouraged to write a one-woman show. She started to watch some recommended plays and began to ask herself “You are going to be the only character on stage. What does that look like?” Theme would play a crucial role in guiding the play’s purpose. Scott felt she could speak heavily on self-care and self-love, but would have to find a way to make sure her peers could relate to it as well.
Many one-person plays will have the sole actor represent multiple characters, but that is not what Mariah envisioned. “I wanted to be a character that just evolved on stage, and this was the story that was evolving on stage.” New York City is an ideal location for workshopping and getting feedback on a play, and Scott took every advantage possible. She continued to tweak and complete the play over the next three years, taking the time to study how light and sound help tell a story. “I just played with how these different elements can land with an audience and how I want them to feel,” Scott explains.
“It has evolved,” Mariah reflects of her play, “I used to go off and on stage, and now I literally stay on stage the entire time.” 60 minutes of being the only person on stage can be taxing on the body, so Scott does plenty of exercises like alternating between laughing and crying to strengthen her emotional stamina ahead of each show.
“The Crown She Wears” may only have one person on stage, but the whole audience is immersed in the experience. “Expect it to be interactive. Expect it to go through different levels of emotion. It’s a dramedy,” Scott shares, “You’re going to be kind of laughing at moments, but you’re also going to be self-reflecting at moments. (You’ll be) in a space to be mindful of being vulnerable and transparent with yourself throughout the entire time.” The show allows the reflectiveness necessary for self-assessment and inspiration to grow in a positive direction. Scott’s worries on if the topic would relate with viewers were quickly calmed as the show has found success in New York and beyond.
“Every place is different,” Mariah shares on her approach to performing in different cities across the United States. Since “The Crown She Wears” is centered around mental health, Scott places a focus on researching cities they are traveling to and finding resources that can benefit people in the area. Mariah has family in Birmingham, but this recent trip was her first time coming for business. “I love it, the hospitality was amazing and the food was great. It was great to slow down here.”
“Myself and Jahman (from The Flourish) actually met virtually before we met in person. We’ve done a lot of work virtually. He’s one of the folks I met on a virtual platform and we just clicked so we’ve been doing a lot together,” Scott explains of the Alabama connection, “They’re doing so much amazing stuff when it comes to artistry, development, and community work. Jahman is an amazing human being, and he’s been pivotal in making this a reality for us. BBRT is another great organization. Both CJ and Aija and their team were very instrumental in bringing us, the program, and the show to Birmingham.”
Scott’s team has also played a huge role in turning an inspired play into a cross-country reality and keeps the growth happening to this day. “I think the biggest thing has also been removing a lot of self-doubt and realizing that the body of work I’m presenting is enough,” Mariah reflects. The actress hopes that her play will help people realize that everyone’s self-care journey is different, and they don’t have to look the same day-to-day. We are thankful that Mariah Scott’s perspective is here to inspire others, and especially thankful that she came to Birmingham. Scott seems to feel the same way.
“As an artpreneur and someone who is a wellness advocate, it really highlighted the importance of community. Birmingham has such an amazing and dope community. A lot of dope individuals who are putting in the work on the group. To be a part of that bigger vision of folks who are already doing such amazing work is exciting to me because I can say I can be a part. That’s a big part of my art.”
Cover image from Mariah Scott
