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Blue
by Laura Hitchcock
Sheldon Epps who directed Blue at Washington, DC's Arena Stage and the Roundabout Theatre in New York (Our Review of 2001 Roundabout production) brought it triumphantly home to open his fifth season at his Pasadena Playhouse. Continuing his amazing record of bringing fresh new life to this venerable State Theatre of California establishment, Epps packs them in with Charles Randolph-Wright's many-layered story.
What is most important to the playwright is the relationship of this family to the mother Peggy, played again by Phylicia Rashad who solidly inhabits the domineering and miserable matriarch for whom materialism and her youngest son Reuben are the sole bright spots in her sad life. Reuben is played as an adult by Jacques C. Smith, who brings depth and versatility to the role, and as a boy by talented Jovun Fox. Reuben's interior dialogue between his younger and older selves opens up the play.
Co-star Diahann Carroll's portrayal of Rueben's grandmother Tillie is a lesson in how shrewdly devastating humor played realistically can be. Her timing and emphasis are impeccable and a joy to watch.
Other new cast members in this production include Clifton Davis as husband and father Samuel Clark Junior, present owner of the funeral home that's been the family's lucrative business for generations. Davis is handsome, charming and, though quiet, still sizzles with sexuality when he thinks of Peggy. He overlooks her flaws because she makes him laugh and adds dazzle to his life. His son Sam III is wonderfully defined with a teen-ager's burly strutting body language by Chris Butler. We miss that element in Act II when he's fifteen years older. Felicia Wilson paints Junior's down home country girlfriend La Tonya in loud broad strokes. She's deliberately the comic relief and she's very good at what she does but she hasn't yet come up with a way to compete with Diahann Carroll's sly comic skill. Held over from previous productions is singer Michael McElroy as Blue whose mellow voice burnishes Nona Hendryx's music.
Randolph-Wright choses a melodramatic family secret expose for the climax of his second act. Although it explains Peggy's focus and drive, it's a familiar device and not enough is done with it to give us that rippling shock of discovering something new about the characters or ourselves. We're teased with perspectives of places where he might have gone instead of where he went. However, this playwright's characterizations, humor and sense of place make him a talent to relish.
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BLUE
Playwright: Charles Randolph-Wright Director: Sheldon Epps<3 Cast: Phylicia Rashad (Peggy Clark), Diahann Carroll (Tillie Clark), Clifton Davis (Samuel Clark Jr.), Jacques C. Smith (Reuben Clark), Jovun Fox (Young Reuben Clark), Michael McElroy (Blue), Chris Butler (Samuel Clark III), Felicia Wilson (LaTonya Dinkins) Music: Nona Hendryx Lyrics: Nona Hendryx and Charles Randolph-Wright Set Design: James Leonard Joy Costume Design: Debra Bauer Lighting Design: Michael Gilliam Running Time: Two hours, 30 minutes The Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena Phone: (626) 356-PLAY August 30-October 13, 2002 Reviewed by Laura Hitchcock on Sept. 10. BLUE NEW & NOTEWORTHY Sheldon Epps who directed Blue at Washington, DC's Arena Stage and the Roundabout Theatre in New York (link to our review July 1, 2001) brought it triumphantly home to open his fifth season at his Pasadena Playhouse. Continuing his amazing record of bringing fresh new life to this venerable State Theatre of California establishment, Epps packs them in with Charles Randolph-Wright's many-layered story. What is most important to the playwright is the relationship of this family to the mother Peggy, played again by Phylicia Rashad who solidly inhabits the domineering and miserable matriarch for whom materialism and her youngest son Reuben are the sole bright spots in her sad life. Reuben is played as an adult by Jacques C. Smith, who brings depth and versatility to the role, and as a boy by talented Jovun Fox. Reuben's interior dialogue between his younger and older selves opens up the play. Co-star Diahann Carroll's portrayal of Rueben's grandmother Tillie is a lesson in how shrewdly devastating humor played realistically can be. Her timing and emphasis are impeccable and a joy to watch. Other new cast members in this production include Clifton Davis as husband and father Samuel Clark Junior, present owner of the funeral home that's been the family's lucrative business for generations. Davis is handsome, charming and, though quiet, still sizzles with sexuality when he thinks of Peggy. He overlooks her flaws because she makes him laugh and adds dazzle to his life. His son Sam III is wonderfully defined with a teen-ager's burly strutting body language by Chris Butler. We miss that element in Act II when he's fifteen years older. Felicia Wilson paints Junior's down home country girlfriend La Tonya in loud broad strokes. She's deliberately the comic relief and she's very good at what she does but she hasn't yet come up with a way to compete with Diahann Carroll's sly comic skill. Held over from previous productions is singer Michael McElroy as Blue whose mellow voice burnishes Nona Hendryx's music. Randolph-Wright choses a melodramatic family secret expose for the climax of his second act. Although it explains Peggy's focus and drive, it's a familiar device and not enough is done with it to give us that rippling shock of discovering something new about the characters or ourselves. We're teased with perspectives of places where he might have gone instead of where he went. However, this playwright's characterizations, humor and sense of place make him a talent to relish. BLUE Playwright: Charles Randolph-Wright Director: Sheldon Epps<3 Cast: Phylicia Rashad (Peggy Clark), Diahann Carroll (Tillie Clark), Clifton Davis (Samuel Clark Jr.), Jacques C. Smith (Reuben Clark), Jovun Fox (Young Reuben Clark), Michael McElroy (Blue), Chris Butler (Samuel Clark III), Felicia Wilson (LaTonya Dinkins) Music: Nona Hendryx Lyrics: Nona Hendryx and Charles Randolph-Wright Set Design: James Leonard Joy Costume Design: Debra Bauer Lighting Design: Michael Gilliam Running Time: Two hours, 30 minutes The Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena Phone: (626) 356-PLAY August 30-October 13, 2002 Reviewed by Laura Hitchcock on Sept. 10. |
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