“Green Card A Love Story,” is a new Caribbean-American web series set in contemporary Brooklyn in the height of the federal immigration crackdown and urban housing insecurity. The show is written by B. Nandi Jacob, the Audelco-award-winning playwright of Flambeaux and Mother-in-Law; and the author of The True Nanny Diaries. Roderick A. Warner doubles as director and cinematographer.
Produced by Ashenandi Stages in association with Conflicted Genius, “Green Card A Love Story” focuses on Trinidadian-born Petra who has been “without papers” for 15 years but won’t end her love affair with America — or her boyfriend — yet. Each day, the once-aspiring scientist focuses on life’s other wildcards, like “fixing” her fiancé, Philo, who sings on the New York City train for alms, as he yearns for his big break into soca-stardom. Struggling on his meagre takings, and her own erratic earnings as an “under-the-table” worker, Petra lives in an office, bitterly weighing the consequences of hitching one’s wagon to the wrong dream. For Petra, all experiences are ever-shadowed and shaped by the darkness of her “illegality,” and the cluelessness of those around her.
“Green Card A Love Story” stars Asha John as Petra, Alia Pierre as Marva: her best friend and neighbour, Susan Kennedy as Joslyn, the mother-in-law, Cameron Bhola as Philo, Marvin George as Battica, the schemer, and Derek Noel, as Taxman, the landlord. Three episodes are currently available on YouTube channel “Green Card A Love Story,” out of a planned eight-episode, first-season-arc. A new episode is released each month. For the producing team, Jacob and Warner, this is a passion project. The duo hopes to promote compassionate conversations around Black and Brown immigration and produce and grow Caribbean-American stories using all available media.
Green Card A Love Story explores the duality of life on several fronts: it is both comedic and dramatic; it measures Petra’s love for America against Petra’s love for Philo; it pits functioning as an undocumented immigrant, against operating as a “regular” person.
Jacob said, “I invite you to check us out on YouTube. We have a well-developed series, a great team and a 100 percent thumbs-up rating, across our three episodes. All we need is you!” Beginning in March, the company will host “Green Card LS Live,” before a studio audience, at 204 Parkside Ave., Brooklyn, New York at 7 pm, presenting the audience with an opportunity to interact with the cast and join the performance in a fun-filled evening.
