By Judaea Ingram
Special To The Carolinian
DURHAM, N.C. — Triangle Performance Ensemble, the same company behind Black Nativity Durham, brought its world premiere stage drama The Third Day to Hillside High School in Durham from April 17 through April 19, 2026. The Saturday, April 18 at 3:00 p.m. showing reached a sold-out crowd, setting the tone for a weekend of strong community turnout and emotional engagement.
The production, hosted at Hillside High School, reflects the Ensemble’s continued work in faith-based and community-centered theater across the Triangle, where gospel tradition, live music, and social storytelling intersect.
Written by Emmanuel Tabb, Daniella Ochman, and Tiffany Agerston, The Third Day is inspired by the Passion narratives and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The story follows two families brought together to stage their church’s annual Easter production. What begins as a familiar tradition gradually unfolds into something more complex, as personal struggles, hidden truths, and family tensions surface both onstage and off.
The result is a play within a play that mirrors real life, where faith is tested in the middle of conflict, grief, and unanswered questions.
Directed by Wendell Tabb, the Ensemble grounds the production in gospel theater while pushing it into contemporary relevance. Musical direction by Xavier Cason deepens that foundation, with live gospel-influenced music underscoring emotional shifts and heightening moments of reflection and tension throughout the performance.
Tabb described the intent behind the production as connecting scripture directly to lived experience. He said audiences will see “how they take the Easter story and turn it into real life, what people deal with on an everyday basis,” adding that the “biblical story comes to life and what people are dealing with.”
That connection is especially clear in how the play engages issues beyond the church setting. Alongside themes of faith, forgiveness, and transformation, the production directly confronts gun violence and everyday struggles within communities. Those realities are not treated as separate from the story but woven into it, shaping relationships, emotional breaks, and moments of silence that carry weight on stage.
The performance moves between humor, gospel energy, and deeply emotional scenes, creating a rhythm that shifts the audience from laughter to reflection. At its most powerful moments, the production feels grounded in lived experience, with characters navigating pressures that feel immediate and familiar.
Audience response reflected that impact. The auditorium at Hillside High School was filled throughout the weekend, with families, students, and community members in attendance. The Saturday afternoon show reached a sold-out crowd, underscoring the anticipation surrounding the production. Throughout the performances, audiences responded with applause, laughter, and moments of praise, while more emotional scenes often drew quiet stillness before reaction returned.
Outside the auditorium, the event extended into a broader community gathering. Vendors lined the surrounding space, adding to the atmosphere beyond the stage. Among them was 10-year-old Ava, who sold homemade lemonade, contributing to the intergenerational presence that defined the weekend.
By the end of The Third Day, Triangle Performance Ensemble transformed Hillside High School into a space where gospel tradition and present-day reality met. The production left audiences with a layered experience of faith, struggle, and hope, grounded in stories that feel both spiritual and deeply human.
