HABIBI Take 2: The Band's Visit at the Donmarby Randi / October 20, 2022Yes I am aware summer is over, I’m cold.
This past summer we at Ldeezhy had the pleasure of seeing three shows at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, a lovely (and recently refurbished) venue that all tourists and residents of Perthshire, Scotland should visit when they visit the most beautiful part of the UK (hopefully not for long! Not that other places will take that crown, I mean because it won’t be part of the UK anymore, sink that ship yourselves Tories). We started with Noises Off, followed by Little Women, and ended with Private Lives. Some pretty classic shiz up in here! Getting through this backlog of posts y’all!
The PFT is a repertory theatre, with a resident company, so you see the same actors regularly. Rep theatres are so interesting, because someone will be amazing in one show and then completely miscast in another, but I guess it makes sense here because the pool is smaller? It kind of reminds me of high school drama club in that way. Well and also because they’re doing Noises Off, which we all did right! Okay my school is the only one that didn’t but I know yours did. My best friend was the stage manager! So let’s start with that beloved comedy classic!
Noises Off
Noises Off is one of the few shows that I don’t think I can get sick of. We recently saw the latest West End revival in…my god it was 2019, I guess not so recent, JFC. But that was sensational, because a) Matthew Morrison was sitting behind me (THAT’S EXCITING!) and b) it was directed by Jeremy Herrin, who directed the 2016 Broadway revival that cannot scientifically ever be topped, it was 104% perfection even before accounting for Megan Hilty’s performance in a role no one knew could actually be that funny. Having seen Herrin’s precise, flawless direction on the big stages TWICE, I was thus spoiled for civilian work. The PFT’s production was hilarious, tons of fun, but the direction proved a bit sloppy. In that third act, when there’s very little dialogue but tons of chaotic action and stuff falling and people arguing but with their body language only, it needs to be directed and executed precisely so that the audience has a clue what’s going on. It was a bit too messy. If I didn’t know what was going on, I would have been a little mad that it was so unclear. But not actually mad, because even with the wee messiness, it’s impossible not to keep smiling so hard it hurts your damn face through any production of this show. Also this ensem confirmed that possibly my favorite line in all of theatre is “If it wasn’t attached to my neck I’d forget what day it was.” I mean, I’ve heard that line a lot, but I COULD NOT STOP laughing this time. The best! I also adored that there were two little kids up front who could not possibly have understood all the jokes but they were having the time of their lives.
Little Women
I hate to give her even more power over me, but Greta Gerwig has spoiled me for all versions of Little Women that aren’t hers. Her framing of what Jo was probably forced to include in her book vs. what was probably/definitely true of its author is simply too brilliant to ever deviate from again. When Jo all of a sudden finds love that isn’t Laurie, you just KNOW it’s Louisa being like ‘ugh you bastards want her to find a man, here you go, half-assed plot!’ So to see it portrayed straightforwardly feels wrong, and always has, but especially after seeing Saoirse’s wee smirk at us for even thinking for a second that it could have been true for Jo, or Louisa, whatever/whoever/both. But aside from that, this play verzh was very pleasant, though the whole repertory theatre company thing means that some parts were muhmuhmuhmiscast. I’m okay saying that and not feeling mean because the worst cast person in this, so wooden and strange that we were literally like what what what is happening, was good in a different show, so it’s very much not a talent thing. Minor faults in an otherwise fun time. Also shout out for making us realize how f-ing hilarious (unintentionally) some lines are, like when Jo exclaims to fake-professor man about how much ‘boys just love to go around nutting!’ We nudge each other a lot in shows (no talking!) but this might have been the pinnacle.
Private Lives
This was my first time seeing this Noel Coward classic live! What fun what ho! Noel has a cheeky good time with a terrible couple who makes terrible decisions. At the start of the play, the couple isn’t a couple. They have gotten divorced, and they’re each on their honeymoon with new people – and they somehow ended up with hotel rooms next to each other (with balconies, apparently, that don’t have any barrier between them??? security risk security risk! I would have to move hundo p). Their new spouses are nice plot devices, but you know from the get-go that the two terriburs are meant to destroy these new marriages and end up together again, even though they can’t go five minutes without fighting. What a lark! The cast of four? no five! there’s a housekeeper! does a great job of painting terrible people you can’t stand in different ways. The central couple nails the whole shibang, but my favorite performance was that from Nalan Burgess as the terrible man’s new wife for a hot second (I am too tired to go look up names of characters) who does some of the best theatrical over-the-top wailing I’ve ever heard. I was HYSTERICAL, her crying was so good and so big and it kept getting bigger and funnier the longer it went on. Just excellent work. Overall, it was a strong production, possibly the tightest of the 3? I mean Noel Coward is always a good time, it’s not like it’s Pinter.
INFORMATION
The Pitlochry Festival Theatre is an enormous space that I don’t think could ever be filled even if everyone in town during the height of tourist season came, so there’s usually room to move around away from people, which is the greatest thing you could ever ask for when out in public. The theatre went through a recent refurb and it shows, except for the bathrooms which didn’t get the memo, which is a shame but there’s never really a line. The bar has vegan treats (but not ice cream) and little water fountain spouts. All in all a fantastic theatre. Stay tuned for another (actually recent) show coming later this week!
Related Posts
Tony Toni Tone: It’s the Day of the Tony Awards!
I took this! I once was there!
IT’S CHRISTMAS IN JUNE!!!! Christmas!!! Chrriiisssstmass! I mean the Tonys! Same same!
Obviously this is the most exciting time of year, not just for me but for all of us, with all the past season’s shows come (and, sadly, some gone) and ready to be feted (fetid? feta’d like the cheese (don’t eat cheese)?) with the most important awards in theatre. Well, second most, as my opinions are obviously the most important. And at the same time we have all the shows of next season tantalizing us with their news and announcements. Hooray for Theatre Chrimble Day!
This season has been dominated by “Hamilton”, as everyone in their right mind except for every single person I talk to in England knows (seriously no one knows it here and I’m like COME ON NOW I even made my gym listen to the album during a circuits class no I am not a trainer but I like to boss people around). But, unlike what CBS would have you believe in their attempts to advertise the awards, there’s much much more to this absolutely splendid season than “Hamilton”. Yes it’s probably the greatest show ever, but you know what? This season had so many other productions that also made it onto my greatest shows ever list. It was a standout year by any means, and it just happened to also be the year of “Hamilton”. I truly hope that it wins the awards it deserves to win, and while that is a lot of them, it is not all of them. I hope the voters don’t get swept away in Ham fever, as they did in the nomination process/as the whole world is overall, but I also hope they don’t get bogged down by any desire to incite a backlash or anything.
Okay, confession time: I can’t talk about the plays this season. I only saw a few…actually I saw one new one (“King Charles III”) and one revival (“Noises Off”). I really think that was all. Both were very special: KS3 was a future-historical tense play, lots of will have hads, about what might happen after Queen Elizabeth dies and Charles ascends the throne (get it he’ll be the third Charles). It was a fascinating look at the royal family and I loved how they made the semi-villain the person everyone would least expect. (Except me. I would totally expect her.) But it only brought a limited run over from London (confession, that’s where I saw it, but the same cast was brought over for Bway like a day later so it’s the same) and closed back in January, so the chances of it winning are low, despite how crazy Americans get over everything Britain farts out. As for “Noises Off”, it was one of the absolute funniest, most flawless productions I’ve ever seen. Telling the tale of a group of nutters trying to put on a play, the first act shows rehearsals (going pretty ridiculously badly), the second act shows the production from the audience’s point of view (going pretty wrong), and the third act shows the production going on another time from backstage (going absolutely bonkers). Getting all the bits from different perspectives and recognizing where things from earlier came into play later reminded me of “The Norman Conquests”, the greatest comedy plays I’ve ever ever ever seen. And the cast (Andrea Martin?! Megan Hilty?! Jeremy Shamos?! Rob McClure?! Tracee Chimo?! So many!) was amazing. Really. I would love for it to win Best Revival of a Play, but it will probably go to one of the very depressing dramas on hand. OH I also saw ‘A View from the Bridge’ because it transferred from London and we saw it here! Okay! I saw three!
But, despite living in London, I did make some time for the musicals. I would like to see everything that opens each season and some years I’ve done an incredible job with both musicals and plays but I mean I live in London so bite me. I’ve emboldened the picks below, either what I believe will win, what I want to win, or both, just read the text to get an idea. Let’s go!
Okay, confession time: I can’t talk about the plays this season. I only saw a few…actually I saw one new one (“King Charles III”) and one revival (“Noises Off”). I really think that was all. Both were very special: KS3 was a future-historical tense play, lots of will have hads, about what might happen after Queen Elizabeth dies and Charles ascends the throne (get it he’ll be the third Charles). It was a fascinating look at the royal family and I loved how they made the semi-villain the person everyone would least expect. (Except me. I would totally expect her.) But it only brought a limited run over from London (confession, that’s where I saw it, but the same cast was brought over for Bway like a day later so it’s the same) and closed back in January, so the chances of it winning are low, despite how crazy Americans get over everything Britain farts out. As for “Noises Off”, it was one of the absolute funniest, most flawless productions I’ve ever seen. Telling the tale of a group of nutters trying to put on a play, the first act shows rehearsals (going pretty ridiculously badly), the second act shows the production from the audience’s point of view (going pretty wrong), and the third act shows the production going on another time from backstage (going absolutely bonkers). Getting all the bits from different perspectives and recognizing where things from earlier came into play later reminded me of “The Norman Conquests”, the greatest comedy plays I’ve ever ever ever seen. And the cast (Andrea Martin?! Megan Hilty?! Jeremy Shamos?! Rob McClure?! Tracee Chimo?! So many!) was amazing. Really. I would love for it to win Best Revival of a Play, but it will probably go to one of the very depressing dramas on hand. OH I also saw ‘A View from the Bridge’ because it transferred from London and we saw it here! Okay! I saw three!
But, despite living in London, I did make some time for the musicals. I would like to see everything that opens each season and some years I’ve done an incredible job with both musicals and plays but I mean I live in London so bite me. I’ve emboldened the picks below, either what I believe will win, what I want to win, or both, just read the text to get an idea. Let’s go!
|
BEST MUSICAL
Bright Star Hamilton School of Rock Shuffle Along Waitress Not really sure about this one just kidding adurr “Hamilton” is the greatest musical of all time so yeah it will win. If it wasn’t nominated, I think “Shuffle Along” is the clear second place, as I said in my last pre-Tony review. But I think it should be a much closer race for second than it is. “Waitress” and “Bright Star” have lovely unique scores (by famous people!) and lovely quiet stories, while “School of Rock” is a super fun ride that makes audiences happy. What a solid year! Though I don’t think any of the four really scream best musical of the year like, say, “Dear Evan Hanson” did for me (but it was off-Broadway (next year woot!)). Well it’s a good thing this is all a moo point because “Hamilton” knows what to do in the trench ingenuitive and fluent in French I mean… LEADING ACTOR MUSICAL
Alex Brightman, School of Rock Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof Zachary Levi, She Loves Me Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton God I know I say ‘any other year’ a lot and sometimes you’re just like ‘well no…there will be stronger stuff in any other year too…’ but for Danny Burstein it’s really true. He’s the Kelli O’Hara of male Broadway actors, having been nominated five or six times without a win. He is a workhorse and a darling and really who on earth would have ever thought that he WOULDN’T be winning for his turn as Tevye, the role he was born to play? But “Hamilton” really put the kibosh on a lot of those kinds of stories, so I’m sorry Danny, please keep doing lots of shows and maybe hopefully one day you’ll get yours. Zachary Levi was surprisingly fantastic in “She Loves Me”, stealing the show from his cast of Broadway stalwarts and stars with his endless charm and impeccable timing. But the year of “Hamilton” means the year of extraordinary male performances in “Hamilton”. Lin, the creator, really is great in the title role, and although at first I was upset he won the very prestigious Drama League award (only awarded to one acting performance across the board every season –men, women, featured, lead, doesn’t matter, just one gets it), but he really did deserve it: His performance defines this season, it’s the thing people will remember most, and that is kind of what that award does. But for the Tony, I don’t think Lin should beat Odom/yeah he’s good with the words cuz he wrote ‘em/but Leslie’s voice and acting overflowed him/and I hope tonight we’re all saying ‘Philly boy you damn showed ‘em’. He’s RG. FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me Jennifer Simard, Disaster! Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along This one is much harder than I ever thought it would be. After seeing “Hamilton” last year, way too long ago now and I am suffering withdrawal and why didn’t I buy all the tickets when nobody knew what it was yet I only got two what the hell is wrong with me, the one thing I remember thinking DURING “Satisfied” was “Renee is going to win a Tony”. Everyone seemed to think so. But the bad thing about a show opening so far away from the Tonys is that new things come in and people take over that spotlight and some voters forget how amazing older performances were. Danielle Brooks has gotten raves for her excellent job in Purps, as has Adrienne Warren pulling double duty. Somehow, Jennifer Simard’s truly hilarious turn as a gambling-addicted nun in the truly ridiculous Disaster! has gained traction lately with everyone wanting to see her perform on the telecast, and what was once a surprisingly cool nomination is now considered by some pundits to be a dark horse for the award. But that shit kinda cray. The real dark horse, or maybe frontrunner, is Jane Krakowski as Ilona in “She Loves Me”, or as I called her, the “Miss Rhode Island” of it, and if you get that, we should be friends. Her definitive take on the role has garnered her several of the lead-up/Golden Globe style awards. But my money’s still on Renee, not just because of Hamilton’s potential to sweep but because she was breathtaking and if I could vote, I would vote for her. And Daveed in every category. BEST BOOK
Steve Martin, Bright Star Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton Julian Fellowes, School of Rock George C. Wolfe, Shuffle Along, Or the Rest of the Title I meannnn how cool is it that Steve Martin is nominated for two Tony Awards! I like him very much! Also am I the only person who whenever Julian Fellowes is mentioned goes “Hello I’m Julian Fellowes!” in Tracy Morgan’s voice? Um anyway, so book. Several pundits and people who think they are smart choose ‘Shuffle Along’ to win for book, just to spread the wealth around from “Hamilton” but also because some TRUE IDIOTS think that sung-through shows don’t have books. Listen people, if you are someone who thinks that, then you do not have ANY IDEA what the book is, and you do not deserve the right to call yourself a journalist or a theatre critic or really anyone who knows things, because you don’t. As for the former reason, to spread the wealth, it’s an equally bad reason because omg don’t give an award that Hamilton actually really deserves to the one with the worst book! Seriously, “Shuffle” had the potential to be an unbelievable show, but the book is a mess. THE BOOK IS ITS BIGGEST PROBLEM. So that critics want to award THAT aspect of it over other much more deserving parts gives me agita something fierce. I don’t want “Hamilton” to sweep, really (especially Lead Actress), but it should absolutely win the awards it deserves to win, and book is one of them. |
BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL
The Color Purple Fiddler on the Roof She Loves Me Spring Awakening Confession (again): I haven’t seen “Fiddler” yet. I love “Fiddler” though, hell I was in “Fiddler” (not on Broadway) (yet) (look so Jewish) (even more so in London because my hair is frizzier in this weather) (I’m getting away from myself) and I love Danny Burstein, so I have no qualms about including it in the mix when I say this is the best season I can remember (or read about) for musical revivals. The other three, the ones I saw, were absolutely flawless. Throughout and after “Color Purple”, “She Loves Me”, and “Spring Awakening” I thought to myself (in the very very few rare moments when I was aware that I was still a person and not part of the air in that theatre just floating in admiration) “Holy crap, this is the greatest thing I’ve ever seen.” So what a competition! That’s why those three are all italicized above – I would be happy if any of them won. The reimagining of “Spring Awakening”, using deaf actors and sign language to add even more depth and genius to that beautiful show (god that scene with Krysta Rodriguez) (holy crap that ending scenery), in any other year would have be the clear winner, I think, but its limited run ended in January and that’s a really big hurdle to overcome. But also, it’s so f-ing competitive because of the other two shows: first, the beyond sublime giddy puppy of a show peeing all over your feet and running around in circles until you down and pet it “She Loves Me”, the musical version of “You’ve Got Mail” so, ya know, perfection. This is How to Perfectly do a Revival Method 1: stay true to its heart, exactingly traditional and true, but do it perfectly. The last one, “The Color Purple”, the one that rips your heart out and stuffs hot burning sand into the hole it left but then rebuilds your heart a little bigger than it was before (not in a congenital enlarged heart way but in a full of love way) and gently puts it back where it belongs and then gives you a big bear hug through tears, is How to Perfectly do a Revival Method 2: scale down what wasn’t necessary before and let the emotional center soar without excess baggage so that the beautiful story and score shines more than anyone previously thought possible. This year, I think “Purple” has the edge because Method 2 proved more exciting and spell-binding and life-changing for all viewers. It also had a secret weapon, an immigrant we know and love who’s unafraid to step in and show the world that she is a force that no one can dare reckon with (see below). But honestly, any of these would be deserving winners, which is an awesome, rare thing to be able to say about any category in any thing ever. LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Laura Benanti, She Loves Me Carmen Cusack, Bright Star Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple Jessie Mueller, Waitress Phillipa Soo, Hamilton To give you an idea of how competitive this category was for nominations, Audra wasn’t even nominated even though she was fantastic and is always award-worthy even in crap like Ricki and the Flash which I couldn’t even finish on an airplane except for her scenes. Just such strong performances by talented women this year. But now that we’re actually talking about the award, I don’t think this is competitive at all. Sure, Laura Benanti (“in any other year!”) is beloved onstage and gives a phenomenal performance, heartfelt and sung superbly and hilarious too; and sure Phillipa is really lovely in the monster smash of a generation and lots of fangirls want her to win despite her role being a little below the standard of what I think this category requires; and sure Jessie Mueller is always dependably worthy and gives show-stopping performances that break your heart; and sure Carmen Cusack is giving a wonderful Broadway debut that has charmed everyone who has seen her. But, no. Nope. Cynthia Erivo is to right now what Audra McDonald was in the ‘90s (and also now and forever) – a game changer. Talent like this doesn’t come around often and performances like hers don’t soon leave your memory. She is unstoppable and if she doesn’t win, it’ll be like when Raul Esparza didn’t win for “Company” but approximately 41 billion times worse. I mean awards don’t matter and all and she is so talented that the Tony can’t really begin to recognize how amazing she is but still she deserves it. And I’m not just saying this because we are friends. (It counts if I baked for her and she ate it and we talked about it right. That’s all friendship is.) FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress Jonathan Groff, Hamilton Christopher Jackson, Hamilton DAVEED MY MANNNN. Daveed is so good in “Hamilton” it’s not really fair to other actors. Like in the world. He’s a rapper (and maybe the best one on earth omg listen to clipping. right now) and was a theatre major at Brown (where my friend knew him! Or her friend did! It’s hard to remember because my head exploded!), but wasn’t really known in the theatre world at all before his debut in “Ham” and now he’s just THE GREATEST MAN ALIVE well no not that but seriously everyone adores him and you can’t not adore him and he’s absolutely incredible in two very different roles and if he doesn’t come to London with it I will be quite sad. Give him all the Tonys. Gonna do my only ‘should have been nominated’ comment here. Okierete Onaodowan (also my friend because of baked goods in London) should have been nominated over one of the others, probably Jon Groff whom I absoluuutely adooore but was onstage for 3 minutes. He was hilarious and perfect, but Oak does some seriously impressive acting up there as the bigger than life Hercules Mulligan in the first act and then the taciturn, sickly, small professor of a politician James Madison in the second. He’s really incredible. |
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Bright Star, Steve Martin and Edie Brickell (who i keep calling Little Edie)
Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda
School of Rock, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Glenn Slater
Waitress, Sara Bareilles
How cool is it that Sara Bareilles wrote a musical and it’s actually great?? How cool is it that Steve Martin wrote this charming show of mostly banjo music and it’s lovely?? How cool is it that Sir Andrew in the Hot Pants has a new show?? Pretty cool!
Hamilton.
Bright Star, Steve Martin and Edie Brickell (who i keep calling Little Edie)
Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda
School of Rock, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Glenn Slater
Waitress, Sara Bareilles
How cool is it that Sara Bareilles wrote a musical and it’s actually great?? How cool is it that Steve Martin wrote this charming show of mostly banjo music and it’s lovely?? How cool is it that Sir Andrew in the Hot Pants has a new show?? Pretty cool!
Hamilton.
OTHERS THAT I CARE ABOUT IT’S JUST TWO REALLY:
Savion Glover must win choreography for “Shuffle Along”. It was not only the best part of that show, but it was the best choreography of the season. What he can do with tap dancing is beyond awards. I love that he makes tap dancing seem so necessary and fresh and somehow like the physical version of hip-hop music. It’s very cool. He’s doing for dance in theatre what Lin is doing for music.
Savion Glover must win choreography for “Shuffle Along”. It was not only the best part of that show, but it was the best choreography of the season. What he can do with tap dancing is beyond awards. I love that he makes tap dancing seem so necessary and fresh and somehow like the physical version of hip-hop music. It’s very cool. He’s doing for dance in theatre what Lin is doing for music.
The other thing I care about is Lighting and anything technical, which should absolutely go to American Psycho, which I didn’t see (so sad, so sad), but which I know from clips (legal) and people whose opinions I respect revolutionized the use of projections and computers to tell their story. I like that they pushed the boundaries in every single way, and at least they should be awarded in some way here. However, I think “She Loves Me” should win for Set Design, because that incredible toybox set so beautifully defined what splendor can come on Broadway stages.
Here’s my last confession of the day: I can’t watch this shit live, I mean come on it’s starting at 1am my time. So please don’t text me your reactions to what happens. You CAN send emails and write comments because I won’t read those until after I watch. Enjoy! Don’t forget to leave out a plate of cookies and (nondairy) milk for the ghost of Ethel Merman!
Promoting Black Voices and Stories in the Theatre
At the time when everyone is (hopefully) sharing information on how to support black voices, I thought it might be nice to celebrate black artists and stories in the theatre. People much more knowledgeable than I am have shared lists of books to read, shows to watch, documentaries to find, places to donate, and I’ve tried to absorb all of that and do what I can, and I hope you have too. So what do I have to recommend except theatre. I thought I’d share some great shows we can watch to maybe open our minds and show some support. The theatre community has always prided itself on including and welcoming everyone from every background, and it really is a special place, especially compared to other communities. But it has a long way to go before the range of voices heard in the theatre reflect the world around us, and before true equality exists in the representation of stories and voices and talent in the theatre.
So I thought I would offer you a list of some shows that promote black voices, actors, and stories that we can all watch this weekend. We have time now that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Show Must Go On” YouTube series took this opportunity to cancel this weekend’s planned stream! (I don’t know what it was intended to be, but I bet it wasn’t an ALW joint since he stopped sharing his work and instead started sharing…NBC live musicals, woof.) The YouTube channel’s statement said they weren’t sharing a show this weekend in ‘support of Black Lives Matter’. It’s not for me to say whether this is an effective show of support or an empty statement that lets them be lazy and uncreative while maybe saving face, but I would rather the channel share theatre with, say, black creative teams or all-black casts, something to support black voices and stories in theatre and promote them instead of keeping silent. Enormous platforms failing to support such voices when they have the ability to amplify them to millions isssss not my favorite.
Last week’s release was actually a fitting one (albeit a version that’s mediocre) – the NBC live version of the musical Hairspray! Okay, I know, it’s a very white-centered show that treats racism like a lil plot twist and is very, very guilty of the white-savior trope. But it’s bubbly and fun and with a clear message that handles racism in a way that’s accessible to e.g. young kids or impressionable (republican) adults. It’s one of my faves and it happens to be important. Come at me all you want but the Nikki Blonsky (oh she cray)-John Travolta-Queen Latifah-endless amazing names movie version from 2007 is the best. Anyway, ALDubs could have just extended the release window for this one! It also has a mostly impressive cast (Jennifer Hudson singing “I Know Where I’ve Been”?? yes please!) providing the messaging.
Another ‘easy’ but powerful and enjoyable show – and another Best New Musical Tony winner – that deals with racism in America is Memphis, the 2010 show starring Montego Glover, an amazing singer playing an amazing singer, and Chad Kimball as a fictionalized character inspired by Dewey Phillips, one of the first white DJs to play black music on the radio in the 1950s. Fun fact, one day after the matinee of the 2015 revival of ‘The Color Purple’ (see below) I left the theatre speaking with actor Isaiah Johnson about the incredible 104% perfect show and all kinds of things and we were talking and walking down 8th Ave. and we bumped into Montego Glover and they hugged and were catching up and I was just there because we were still talking so that was the gd coolest. (After a few minutes I politely said I would take my leave so they could catch up properly but they were like oh okay cool bye, not like ‘wtf get out of here’ it was awesome.) You can find Memphis on Amazon Prime and BroadwayHD.
A problem with these shows is that their creators are white, so the stories are made palatable and play into white people’s ideals of how to solve racism. As time moves forward, I believe, and hope, that creators and audiences alike realize and accept the need for representation on- and offstage of those whose stories are being told, to make sure the right voices have input. (This was the problem with London’s Falsettos fiasco.)
A wonderfully different show springing from the brilliance of one black man is the 2008 musical Passing Strange, written by the artist Stew (who also starred in it). This unique musical was sort of like a rock concert, sort of like performance art, and a completely different feel from everything around it on Broadway. It tells the story of a young man from LA who tries to figure himself out in Europe, where he encounters all sorts of characters but is often the token black guy. It’s a more personal journey and story than the all-encompassing ‘let’s discuss racism’ shows, and that’s what makes it so effective and moving – especially since so much of it comes from Stew himself. Stew won a Tony for the book, beating In the Heights, and I’m like very happy for him. The show is on YouTube for a small fee.
A Raisin in the Sun, the seminal play about a black family’s experiences, might be a cliche to include on such a list as its the pinnacle of black theatre, but cliches exist because they’re true. You all know this play, right, like you wouldn’t be reading my shit if you hadn’t already read A Raisin in the Sun, right? To watch: the Sidney Poitier/Ruby Dee movie is on Amazon, while the movie version of the 2008 Broadway revival production is on YouTube, with the same Broadway cast including Phylicia Rashad (who won a Tony for it), Audra McDonald (who won a Tony for it), and Sean Combs (that’s right).
Another important play with an accessible movie version is Fences, with stars Denzel Washington and Viola Davis recreating their Tony-winning Broadway roles. I like this one because honestly Denzel’s character seems kind of awful, and it’s necessary that white audiences don’t just get to enjoy happy charming black characters and that black actors get to portray the full expanse of humanity.
For a newer play that more directly reflects the current situation, Pass Over is currently streaming on Amazon. This film version, directed by Spike Lee, of Antoinette Nwandu’s superb, tragic 2018 play, will probably have the same emotional impact as the stage version, which means you will feel awful. The play was written as a sort-of response to the killing of Trayvon Martin, so it feels awfully, depressingly relevant now. Of all the ones on this list, this is the one that we should all watch if we are trying to learn about what is happening.
There’s also the 2017 Lincoln Center Theatre production of the play Pipeline, about inequality in education. The mother of a black inner-city teenager works at a public school, but she decides to send her son to private school, and thus has to grapple with this decision as well as the realization that a whiter school won’t protect him. We are planning to watch it this weekend; it sounds great…and upsetting (given how education is indeed unbelievably unequal) which is fine because we all should be upset right now! especially white people! It’s currently on BroadwayHd for free so hurry up.
After those plays, you’re going to need some more musical spirit-lifting. I know I just said white people all should be upset but if you educate yourself on Black Lives Matter and talk to white friends about it and stand up for injustice and challenge the ideas we’re fed about police being helpful and donate if you can then maybe you can have a musical, as a treat.
If you want a fun one to watch with kids, you can’t go wrong with The Wiz, the classic reimagining of The Wizard of Oz with an all-black cast. You can rent the original film on YouTube, Google play, and I’m sure lots of other places, since it’s old and awesome. Starring Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, forking Lena Horne and Richard Pryor?? I mean drop what you are doing and watch it now if you’ve never seen it. For goodness sake, I just realized this was another recent NBC live musical production! WTF! Given that ALW and his “The Show Must Go On” have turned to showing NBC live musicals, it’s kind of ridiculous that they aren’t showing this one. I wonder if it was supposed to be this weekend’s offering; if so, that’s pretty shirty to cancel. If not, why not! It’s easy to acquire and share given that it’s morphed into a platform solely for American televised live stuff. This one had Mary J. Blige! It was awesome! Promote black artists Andrew!
On Netflix, there’s the movie musical Been So Long, starring UK fave Michaela Coel, about a black single mother and a man she falls for. It’s based on a 2009 Young Vic musical, but that’s before my time so I can’t say how it compares. I can say it has 92% on the old tomato meter, so it probably did a good job.
I wish I could find the Broadway musical version of The Color Purple, any version of it, and share it like I had wanted to. This show is so forking good. LIKE A BLAAAADE OF COOOORN, like a hooooooneyyy beeeeee. like a waaaater falllll, all a part of meeee! LIKE THE COLOR PURPLE! omg I FORKING LOVE THIS SHOW. It’s so good. Listen to the 2015 Broadway revival recording with the unmatched Cynthia Erivo, watch the Oprah movie, read Alice Walker’s novel. Do all three. Luckily, there’s a movie version of this musical in the works, so we can enjoy that sometime in the future, if there’s a future, and enjoy the fun of a book-to-movie-to-musical-to-movie musical journey.
I also can’t find any trace of the 2016 Broadway musical Shuffle Along, or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, or even the original 1921 sensation of the same name (well the first two words). The original Shuffle Along was musical by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake that enjoyed a surprising long run in New York in 1921 and introduced the world to Josephine Baker, Florence Mills, Paul Robeson, and more. In 2016, George C. Wolfe helmed a new show telling the tale of that original event, with the most exciting cast of stellar black luminaries imaginable, including Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter, and more. It was a flawed retelling but its importance and heart were undeniable. It’s worth listening to the cast recording for Audra’s, well, being Audra, and for Adrienne Warren’s take on Florence Mills. You can also take a half hour and watch this interview with Wolfe and stars about the show.
Is it bad that I want a production of Fiddler on the Roof (one of the best and most enduring classics for dern good reason) that amplifies its message of prejudice by having black actors play the Jews while keeping the Russians white? WOULD BE INTERESTING.
Anyway, there are lots of black stories to appreciate and black talent to celebrate – there’s the Dreamgirls movie (with J-Hud in top form, Beyonce killing it, and Tony-winner Anika Noni Rose) which is I believe is on Netflix; there’s Audra’s exquisite Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill on BroadwayHD. And yet there’s obviously not enough, since I am just shooting out a quick list like this. And while of course this list is way incomplete, clearly if such a list can even be made, it means these sorts of works are the exceptions and not the rule. The fact that I can specifically point to all of these examples, leaving off maybe a dozen or so, proves in itself what a dearth there is. Theatre, like all institutions and areas and arts and parts of the universe, has a long way to go before inclusion, colorblind casting, and promotion of minority voices is the norm and not the lauded exception. Make demand for this heard, and maybe start by enjoying some of what we already have.
