By Gina Marie Rodriguez & Dave Tavani, JerseyArts.com
originally published: 04/24/2025
Written by Tony-nominated playwright Christina Anderson, "the ripple, the wave that carried me home," is a moving exploration of a family's response to injustice and a daughter's reckoning with her political inheritance.
Straddling the decades of Janice's family life, we see that her childhood was steeped in her parents’ activism as they fought for the integration of public swimming pools in 1960’s Kansas and taught scores of Black children to swim. But Janice later steps away from her parents’ politics and starts her own life and family far away—until one day, she is invited to speak at a ceremony honoring her father.
Jersey Arts speaks with the cast about this authentic and riveting show.
"the ripple, the wave that carried me home" runs from May 1-25, 2025 at Luna Stage (555 Valley Road) in West Orange, New Jersey. Tickets are available for purchase online.
About the author: Gina Marie Rodriguez is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and actress. Her foray into filmmaking began at a young age as a way to avoid public speaking in school. From there, it grew into a love of telling stories and creating new worlds. Gina Marie boasts a Bronze Remi win from Worldfest Houston, Best Female Filmmaker from the Cosmic Film Festival, and a Best Actress in a Comedy from the Hang Onto Your Shorts Film Festival alongside nominations from the Golden Door International Film Festival, Official Latino Film and Arts Festival and Los Angeles Cinefest among others.
Dave Tavani is a freelance videographer and still photographer based in the Philadelphia area. In recent years, Dave has worked on a variety of projects, mostly for nonprofit and arts organizations. In addition to JerseyArts.com, he works on video projects for McCarter Theatre Center, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, Visit Philadelphia, Bristol Riverside Theatre, Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and ArtPride New Jersey.
