Thursday, June 5, 2008

Theater review: Blue

By Rick A. Elina of North Dallas Gazette

Clark Family dinner in Jubilee Theatre's production of Blue.

Jubilee Theatre’s presentation of Blue, a semi-autobiographical play penned by Charles Randolph-Wright, exposes an African American family deeply mired in the matriarchal machinations of one Peggy Clark.

Peggy, played by Cynthia Jackson, commands that the men in her life to tiptoe on soft-boiled southern manners lest they wander into her caustic cross hairs. Rudeness and lack of class are indefensible. Pretension is her creed. And Blue Williams, a fictional jazz singer, is her obsession. So much so, that she insists that her younger son Reuben (Joshua Reed), a fledgling musician, memorize all things related to Blue. Ms. Jackson plays her character to such hyperbole that at times the stage seems too small for her.

Chief among the subjugated men of the Clark Clan are her two sons, Reuben and Sam. The dutiful Reuben attends to his overbearing and narcissistic mother with the heightened anxiety of a son desperately seeking approval. On the other hand, the elder son, Sam (Jordan K. Spradley) never misses an opportunity to wreak any form of havoc, no matter how inconsequential. In a particularly amusing dinner scene, Sam nervously introduces his over-the-top “country” girlfriend, LaTonya (Sametria Ewunes) to his parents, knowing in advance that his mother will not approve. Ms. Ewunes exhibits fine comedic timing when interacting with the pretentious Peggy.

When the play opens, an adult Reuben (Walter Fauntleroy) looks fifteen years into the past on the younger version of himself. Through this device the audience gains insight into the emotional foundation that will transform the boy into the man. However, the adult Reuben cautions that all is not what it seems.

A fine actor, Mr. Fauntleroy, imparts a balanced rendering of his character. He exercises a measured degree of restraint where a less proficient actor might be tempted to exploit the moment. In one revelatory scene with his grandmother, Tillie Clark (Liz Mikel), Mr. Fauntleroy demonstrates his ability to slide seamlessly to either end of the acting spectrum with equal ease. Ms. Mikel provides the perfect equilibrium to a female cast that at times borders dangerously on caricature.

The titular head of the Clark Family, Samuel Clark, Jr. (Bill Hass) runs a thriving family funeral business. Mr. Hass portrays a man with the confidence and trappings of success. He exudes prowess in business but lacks power at home when confronting his domineering wife. In fact, the only male character immune to the fervid females of the story is the title character, Blue Williams (Cavin Yarbrough). Mr. Yarbrough, an excellent singer, enters and exits scenes of the play while belting out musical numbers, often intertwined with the dialogue of the actors.

Rather than dragging the pacing, the combination of singing and acting adds a powerful dynamic to a strong production. This show is a must see!

Blue runs through June 15, 2008 at Jubilee Theatre in Fort Worth. For more details call 817.338.4411 or visit jubileetheatre.org.

Rick A. Elina is a playwright based in Plano, Texas and is the Theatre Critic for the North Dallas Gazette.

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