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Setor Attipoe's Mesmerizing Balancing Act in Theater

by Laura Andrews

Nothing about Setor Attipoe is typical.  The strikingly attractive founder of the New York City based theater company Lamb To A Lion Productions' poignant question, at a New York City's wealth seminar, to billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump received high compliments from the entrepreneur who made the phrase, "Your fired", popular.

Although by age 14, Attipoe had earned the title as a world traveler, the daughter of an African American mother and Ghanaian father's diverse background was both rewarding and challenging.

After garnering the title in high school, as "Most Creative Dresser", she prepared for a career as a fashion designer with plans to attend either the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in L.A. or Parsons School of Design in New York City.  But her career was derailed.

Carefully reevaluating her future, the passionate God-fearing artist began honing her skills as an Actress.

After studying at the Studio Theater's Acting Conservatory in Washington D.C., within weeks of her arrival in New York City, she snagged a role in David Lamb's "Platanos and Collard Greens."

Just weeks after leaving Lambs' long-running production, Attipoe received an offer to produce her first play, "Love, Life & Redemption."

The steamy, intriguing poetry-laced drama with ethical paradoxes has been performed before sold-out audiences.  To date, one of Attipoe's triumphant moments in her her life is launching the play's college tour.

In a face-to-face interview, the rising star, producer, theater company founder and director discusses her future.

Q:  How did you develop the idea to write "Love, Life & Redemption"

A:  The play is actually based around 15 short stories.  The stories are based around 15 poems that I wrote over a seven year period.  So in the process of growing up, I wrote poetry during my adolescent and young adult life.  At one point I threw all my poetry away, except one set of poems.

Q:  Who is Carolyn Bowers?

A:  Carolyn Bowers is an older woman and she's receiving a lifetime achievement award from an arts committee.  She is someone who has mentored a lot of people, actors especially and other artists.  She inspired a lot of people.  She's been a poet and she's been a writer.  And she has been an activist.  She led an interesting artistic life that touched many people.  So, in the play she is being recognized for accomplishments by an artists' committee.  As they prepare to give her an award, she tells her life lessons in the form of 15 short stores based around her poetry, which are the poems that I wrote.

Q:  Are there 15 short stories?  Are they different characters?

A:  We have a cast of 13.  The stories are all in some way fall in the categories of love, life and redemption.  The beautiful side of love.  The unhealthy side of love.  The inspiring part of love and different common life situations.  Hopefully a lot of people can relate to to two women who are best friends but fighting over a shared lover.

Q:  One of my favorite pieces is "Diallo", which parallels the life of Amadou Diallo's sister and Nicole Paultre Bell, who is the late sean Bell's fiance.

A:  It parallels their lives because they both loss men who were close to them from gun violence from police officers.  Their lives are so similar in my opinion.  So that piece is about them redeeming themselves and sharing their pain about what it was like to lose a loved man in the same way.

Q:  How were you able to get information on the story about Amadou Diallo's sister or was it a case of sheer imagination?

A:  It was just imagination.  I got her name from just reading up on different stories.  But after that it was me putting myself in a situation where I could imagine.

Q:  In 2003 you wrote a poem on Mr. Diallo?

A:  Yes

Q:  How did you arrive a t the Sean Bell Poem?

A:  When this play was first on stage only the Diallo piece was featured.  More recently I realized that Nicole Paultre Bell went through the same thing.

Q:  In your work, it appears that you are taking the same artistic route as August Wilson and Ossie Davis.  How did theater come into your life?

A:  I started acting during my last year in college.  My foundation is in theater.  I moved to New York for theater.