Mosaic Theatre: Confederates

 "Confederates" by Dominique Morisseau is my second play of this season at Mosaic Theatre at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street NE in DC, and the second play I've seen written by Ms. Morisseau.  It's a win win.  Two stories are told side by side instigated by a prank involving a doctored photograph of an enslaved woman breast feeding a white baby.  Presented side by side, one tells the story of the African American English professor how is the recipient of the mockery.  The other is of an enslaved Black woman who's mother is the subject of the photograph.  Just 160 years separates them.  Three other actors play different versions of similar personas within the context of each story.  The structure is quite clever, and the writing fresh and lucid so as to not allow any of the twisting threads to break or get lost.  

The set was beautiful and the work of Nadir Bey who's talents I've seen multiple times since his arrival in the DMV.  Most recently in Monsters of the American Cinema, and The Chosen and The Rainmaker both at 1st Stage.  The Designer even got a two page spread in the program featuring his illustration of the final version.  Pretty cool.

Photo from my seat in the middle third row back from the stage.

The acting was very strong.  Each member of the cast brought their A-game which is particularly important when Caro Dubberly is in the ensemble.  Caro is scary intense.  If you haven't come to play, get off the stage, because they takes no prisoners.  To that end I have seen three other cast members (Deidre Staples, Joel Ashur, and Tamieka Chavis) in significant roles in other plays over the course of the past year.  The intensity of their performances was as if they had grown exponentially in their skills and talent.  I'm certain that the material and the camaraderie elevated the experience from that of a performance to something more akin to church.  

And I have a non-acting connection to the final cast member, Nikkole Salter directed the production of "Lady Day at the Emerson Bar & Grill" that I recently saw at Baltimore's Center Stage.  I have had the privilege of seeing plays that have been directed by people who's acting the region I am familiar with; this, however, is the first time I've seen their talents as a director first.

There was an after show discussion on the themes in the play.  I didn't stay mostly because the performance started 20 minutes late and I was concerned with catching a trolley back to Union Station before dark settled in.  The reason it was delayed is a testament to my earlier assertion that the play holds a special place in the hearts of the actors.  Joel Ashur had been in an auto accident on his way to the theatre.  They were prepared to cancel the performance when he showed up around 2:45--curtain was supposed to be 3:00.  On stage, he never skipped a beat.

Abner (Joel Ashur) getting a self-inflicted would sewn up by his sister, Sara (Deidre Staples)--it is a metaphor for what his character, Malik, does in the alternate timeline.

Sara longing to engage the enemy and obtain her freedom demands that Abner teacher her how to shoot his rifle.

Grad assistant, Candice (Caro Dubberly) with Professor Sandra (Nikkole Salter)

Sandra confronted by her colleague and the only "other" Black woman in the English Department, Dr. Jade Banks (Tamieka Chavis).

In the final scene, Sandra transforms herself, and Candice is flooded with the guilt of a conspiracy soon to be revealed.

At the very end, Sara and Sandra "meet".

Autumn Leaves and Impatiens Together

Everyman Theatre: The Chinese Lady

 Everyman Theatre's current production is Lloyd Suh's historic biography of Afong Moy, "The Chinese Lady."  She was purchased from her father and brought to the United States in 1834 at the age of 14 years-old, by a pair of entrepreneur brothers who hoped to exploit her exoticism to boost their sales of mid-range oriental trinkets to a burgeoning middle class.  She was only supposed to stay for two years.  After a decade she was sold off to P. T. Barnum and spend the next 30 years in his stable of exotic "freaks".  At no time was she paid more than room and board.  The entire time from her arrival in 1834 to her dismissal from the indenture to Barnum she was accompanied by an unrelated translator named Atung.  He remained her friend up until the age of 56 when she was cast off.  She lived to the age of 82.  The play tells her story and along with it Atung's, and good deal of the milestones of U.S.-Sino relations in the 19th century.

The costumes are lavish, the set breath-takingly beautiful.  As Atung, David Lee Huynh powerfully offered up a look at the character's inner life, all the while walking through his days as the "other," the non-person.  He's new to the DMV and I hope to see more of his talents here.  Tuyet Thi Pham is a familiar member of Everyman Theatre's repertory company.  In previous outings, she's conveyed a sense of inner-strength that was never fully mined--here she let's loose the mother load.  Her presentation followed the character's evolution as envisioned by Suh from innocent abroad to ultimate survivor.  It was an inspired performance.

I wish there was more light in this image to reveal the richness of the woodwork on the walls.

Afong Moy (Tuyet Thi Pham) as Atung (David Lee Huynh) grooms her hair.

Afong Moy explaining the use of chopsticks.

Atung struggling with his platonic relationship with Afong Moy.

Afong Moy on her last day as The Chinese Lady.

Autumn Buddha Gives Succor to Sprinkler Turtle

 

Theatre J: The Chameleon

 When you attend a play at Theatre J, you know two things.  The subject matter will involved Jewish history, culture, even angst.  It will be done well.  An extension of the programs and community outreach under the auspices of the EDLAVITCH DC Jewish Community Center--Theatre J is rightly seen as the premiere Jewish Theatrical venue in the nation.  Not a brag.  A fact.

On this occasion, I attended the final performance of "The Chameleon" by Jenny Rachel Weiner.  The title refers to a minor comic book heroine from the 1950's created by Jewish writers and authors who expressed in her character the most essential zeitgeist of Jewish identity in America at the time.  Now, a major Director with a history of Jewish friendly movies wants to add it to the cannon of the current Super Hero film craze.  

He has just hired Riz Stapleton to play the lead.  It's late December and she is at home to celebrate "Jewish Christmas" with her family on Long Island.  The family includes her parents, her paternal grandmother (holocaust survivor with dementia), Her kid sister and her African American Lesbian partner, and her lapsed Catholic Brazilian Husband.  Everyone has a secret or two.  Riz is pregnant, her kid sister is planning to move to the West Bank to live with and provide justice support for Palestinians (no triggers there!--when art and life collide, eh?)  To this meal (Chinese Take Out, of course) intrudes the news that the director of Riz's film is a Neo-Nazi sympathizer and Riz is forced to confront the ways she has chosen to compromise hire Jewish identity in order to find success in her career.

It's a tangled web.  And if reality isn't difficult enough, the events take on a magical reality mode worthy of Jorge Luis Borges.  What is real and what is only imagined becomes impossible to distinguish in a way that is so prescient to today--it's freaking weird. 

the set with it's raw comic book frames was brilliant.  As reality merged with fantasy, the details became even more fascinating.  The lighting design was such that it was nearly an additional member of the cast in the way that rarely happens with this aspect of a play.

Of the cast, it's really hard to pick and choose.  This really was an ensemble effort of equal intensity.  I have a history of seeing three members in others productions and each raised their esteem with me in this performance: Nancy Robinette, Eric Hissom and Ryan Sellers.  Dina Thomas as Riz the foci of the story was a worthy fulcrum to the yin and yang of the play.  

If I had even one consideration at all, upon deeper reflection, it would have been to ask the playwright to better consider her character's use of the work "fuck".  Don't misunderstand--I LOVE to say FUCK.  FUCKetty, Fuck, FUCK, F-U-C-K!  (For the record); however, it remains a blunt instrument in discourses of any kind.  And as such, deserves a more nuanced usage.  At least within the context of this play.

Embedded in the play our memes and tableaus like meals.  [L-R]: Maya (Arielle Moore), Riz (Dina Thomas), Mitch (Eric Hissom), Stephanie (Emma Wallach), Val (Sarah Corey) and Bubbe (Nancy Robinette) 

Another meme was the power of social apps to control the narrative of our lives.  [L-R]: Joaquin (Ryan Sellers), Riz, Mitch, Philip (in back, Rj Pavel), Maya, Stephanie, and Val

When even more shit hits the "fan."  The action is dense and fast-paced.

Constellation Theatre: Orlando

 "Orlando" by Virginia Woolf adapted by Sarah Ruhl (a new adaptation) is a frolicking romp.  It transpires over the course of 5 centuries and genders bend like wild reeds (extra points for catching that reference).  Unlike any play I can recall seeing recently, this one was entirely done in narrative.  Even what might pass as dialogue, was part of the narrative delivered by the title character, and a chorus of four who assumed various other personas.  The narrative was witty, but then again--Virginia Woolf gave it life, so what else would you expect?  The action was rapid fire and as flamboyant as the costumes and set.  

Usually, when I go to Constellation Theatre what I discover bears very little resemblance to what I've seen before.  Occupying a hollowed out a 150 year-old, it is a tabula rasa for design and the design includes the seating arrangement as well.  However, this production bore a striking resemblance to the final production of the previous season "The School For Lies."  Definitely the gaudy colors, a chaise, and a couple of potted plants!  Although the scenic designer was new to Constellation.  Sarah Beth Hall captured the frenetic, fantastical aspects of the play.



At costume design, Kitt Crecenzo created androgynistic outfits for the chorus with steam-punk under-garment vibes that were easy to transform with over-wear.  For Orlando, she started the journey with a red Little Lord Fauntleroy look and then on to gowns which grew increasingly less gaudy with the passage of the centuries.   

To the cast it was clear that everyone was have a good time, and why not?  The roles were filled with campy, at times intense, banter.  Each member of the chorus was also assigned at least one other major supporting character, and this is when they really came to life.  Perhaps the most fun was had by Alan Naylor who got to channel the queen mother to enormous flourish.  Edmee-Marie Faal's incarnation of the Russia Princess Sasha, but every moment enchanting.  Arika Thames gender flopping portrayal of Archduchess Harriet of Romania/Archduke Harry of Romania was filled with like yet competing energies.  

Finally, riding high on top of the entire concoction was Mary Myers' performance as Orlando.  She never left the stage and never lost her mojo.  It was a wonder to watch unfold in layers of excitement and revelation.  Even in moments of confusion and disappointment as Orlando, she never lost the focus, never let the driver's seat on this bus ride of wonders: a buckle-your-seatbelts, take no prisoners, wild adventure!

Full cast [L-R]: Edmee-Maria Faal, Alan Naylor, Mary Myers (as Orlando in front), Christian Montgomery and Arika Thames

Edmee-Marie Faal, Alan Naylor (as the Queen Mother) and Christian Montgomery

Orlando meets the Queen Mother

Orlando meets Russian Princess Sasha (Edmee-Marie Faal)

Orlando and Princess Sasha skate to London

Orlando becomes a woman.

Orlando meets Archduke Harry (Arika Thames)

Orlando sails back to England with Alan Naylor portraying the ship's captain.

Orlando finally discovers love in the arms of Lord Marmaduke (Christian Montgomery)

U.S. Postage: Historic Railroad Stations of the United States

 You know I love plants, zoos, LEGO's and I am a damn good cook.  Tips of the iceberg.  I also love trains and travel when I can by rail.  I have collected stamps since I was 8.  I started collecting stamps after my cousin, Johnnie,--who was in his 30's at the time--gave me a little butter tub of stamps from England and Germany from his collection, the year was 1969, the occasion a sympathy call upon the death of my Paternal Grandfather--a generous and kind distraction.  

Johnnie and his wife Clara were dairy farmers in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.  I loved them both so much.  Visiting with them was always a highlight of trips to see my grandparents.  Johnnie and Clara only left the farm on one occasion in their entire long married lives, and that was a visit to Detroit to see us and a pair of uncles who had settled in Southfield and Wyandotte with their wives.  All the rest of his travels away from the farm where through postage stamps.  

To bring it together, the United States Postal Office has recently issue a set of 5 commemoratives to honor Historic Railroad Stations of the United States.  With so many Railroad Stations to choose from, the task must have been daunting.  The subtitle on the sheet reads: "One Trip: From Sea to Shining Sea".  Unfortunately, and even given the fact that the Railroad started in Maryland, the five choices suggest the "sea" shines brighter on the east coast.  My solution would have been to take the idea more seriously.  More comprehensively.  

I have no doubt that the preeminent Railroad Station in the United States of a grand scale is Union Station in Cincinnati, Ohio.   Classic Union Stations across the United States are among the most amazing civic structures in their relative cities.  Union Station in Washington, DC (a structure I have visited well over 100 times), is simply a magnificent edifice.  You can add these beautiful Union stations in New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, St. Paul, etc.  In the south and southwest, stations with glorious Spanish Mission designs exist beyond San Bernardino, California.  Art Deco, Federalist, Georgian, Romanesque, Greek Revival, Rail Stations represent a compendium of architectural history and an evolution of civic pride.

Having so many stations in the east in this collection has benefited me in one way.  I've been to three of them.  However, limiting the commemoration to just 5 is short-sighted, and deserves to be corrected.

The Stations that were chosen:

BEEN TO THESE

HAVEN'T BEEN TO THESE

What I would have done was expand the Postal Stamp issue to a sheet of 15 Stations.  Here are my 10 other suggestions:

Full Disclosure, I've been to 7 of the 10: Union Station, Washington, DC; Thurmond Station, Thurmond, West Virginia; Pacific Depot, Kirkwood, Missouri; Union Station, Portland, Oregon; Union Station, Ogden, Utah; Red Wing Station, Red Wing, Minnesota; and Whitefish Depot, Whitefish, Montana.