Round House/Olney Theatre Centre: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

 Of all ten plays that make up August Wilson's acclaimed American Century Cycle, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" was the first one I actually saw performed on stage.  It was an okay production, hobbled by an actor who was not up to the demands of playing the title character.  Thankfully, the majority to the action takes place among the members of the back-up band, so in spite of the "hole in the middle," was still hooked on Wilson and committed to see all 10 plays performed on stage.  To date I've seen 8, and by the end of this DMV theater season will hopefully be down to just 1.

This production, staged at Round House Theatre is a joint production between Round House and Olney Theatre Center.  The moment I entered the theater and saw the set designed by Arnel Sancianco I was awestruck.  With the combined resources of these two long established companies, the set made the one I experienced in the previous production look like something someone had tossed together in their garage.  And so my level of expectation was set.

The cast read like a listing of DMV African American Royalty, with a couple of White Princes tossed in for good measure.  Even in the minor roles of Sturdyvant and Irvin, Chris Genebach and Michael Glenn proved why they pretty much have the ability to write their own tickets when it comes to participating in local productions.  In particular, you have to appreciate the nuance of physical gestures that they each brought to their characters.

The band was led by Craig Wallace, who like Chris and Michael, seems to be everywhere all the time in the DMV.  He's a journeyman actor who can deliver any line with practiced intention whether it was written by a contemporary playwright like Wilson or the great bard Shakespeare himself.  Around him were three supremely talented young bucks: Derrick Truby as Slow Drag, Ro Boddie as Toledo, and Yao Dogbe as Levee.  Wilson demonstrates his genius as a character creator through the cadences and content of the riffing that occurs between the members of the band.  Sometimes light-hearted and bawdy, and then inane and accurate historically.  But never is it turned up to its highest excruciating pitch like it is when the bullshit becomes personal, raw, soul-wrenching.  

And this is where Levee rises.  His story of the rape of this his mother is as grand a soliloquy as anything Hamlet has to say.  And Yao Dogbe grabbed the audience by the throat and held us just tight enough to keep us breathing.  The scene closed out the first act and when the light went out you could hear the sound of molecules colliding, because no one had the strength to breath.  If this doesn't garner a nomination for a Helen Hayes Award, then the characters great revelation is true--there is no God.

Finally, there is Ma Rainey and her entourage: nephew (Sylvester) and lover (Dussie May).  Both give Ma opportunities to highlight her ultimate authority over her reality.  As a portrayal of a supremely talented woman who will not settle for conventional societal roles of gender and race, Nicole Michelle Haskins brings her A-game to every scene.  She not only dictates the terms of every interaction, she always gets her way.  When she speaks of her understanding of the world and what she wants from it, you have no doubt that she's gonna get it--at least in this moment, with this group of characters.  And when she performs the song, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," she transports you to 1927 as if you were there.  It's magical.

It's been such an incredibly strong start to this year's theatre season.  How good it is to live in the DMV!

Michael Glenn as Irvin, Ma Rainey's agent, and Chris Genebach as Sturdyvant, her record producer.

The members of the band: Craig Wallace as Cutler, Ro Boddie as Toledo, Yao Dogbe as Levee, and Derrick Truby as Slow Drag, rehearsing in the basement.

Toledo placing a little bet against Levee's ability to spell the word "m-u-s-i-c" as Slow Drag looks on in bemusement.

Levee play his trumpet.

Ma Rainey arrives at the recording session late after a racially motivated altercation with the police.  L-R: Jaylen Henderson as Sylvester, her nephew; Kanysha Williams as Dussie Mae, her lover, Nicole Michelle Haskins as Ma Rainey, Toledo, Irvin, and Zach Brewster-Geisz as the Policeman.

Dussie Mae and Ma Rainey sharing a tender moment.

Ma Rainey in all her glory!

Recording "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"