The Play "Southern Promises" The Abuse of Power Depicted in Kara Walker's Artwork Brought to Life

"Southern Promises" by award winning playwright Thomas Bradshaw ("Thomas and Sally") is in production at The Flea Theater.  The poster for "Southern Promises" is a black silhouette by renowned artist Kara Walker whose works depict race, sexuality, violence and the dynamics of abusive power.  The poster portends a disturbing depiction of America's inhumane and perverse history of slavery.  Walker said, "The illusion is that most of my work is simply about past events, a point in history and nothing else." Bradshaw's play set in VA on a slave plantation graphically portrays innumerable cruelties and degradations of human beings obscenely justified on religious grounds and assumed white superiority not solely practiced during the slavery epoch.  The ticket taker/actor dressed in period costume tells everyone to enjoy the show.  This is not a show to be enjoyed.  It's a play that confronts us and ignites our consciousness causing us shame, indignation and immense pain for the plague of our nation's slavery history but for the perseverance of injustice and oppression regarding race and sexual abuse.  The cast's prologue informs us "we are all black" and our intent is to investigate slavery on our terms.'  They proclaim to embrace the entirety of their heritage of mixed blood and the entangling of the slave and the slave owner; the oppressor and the oppressed.  "Southern Promises" fulfills these promises in interesting, perverse and provocative manners.  Casting of characters do not abide racial expectations.  Plantation owner Isaiah (Darby Davis) tells his wife Elizabeth (Brittany Zaken) on his dying bed he wishes to emancipate his slaves posthumously.  Isaiah elicits her promise to fulfill his wishes.   Isaiah calls for his beloved slave Benjamin (Shakur Tolliver in a courageous performance) and reminisces their shared brotherhood as children.  Isaiah informs Benjamin of his plan to free him and all the slaves on the plantation.  Benjamin is saddened by the death of his "good master" and shares this news with his wife Charlotte (a tour-de-force Yvonne Pruitt).  Their joy is pre-mature. Elizabeth had no intention of releasing the slaves and uses Benjamin as her sex slave.  The sparse & clever scenic design show tables turned.   Positions of power turn and as foretold, the oppressed becomes the oppressor.  Kara Walker's daughter calls her mom's work "ugly art."  "Southern Promises" isn't concerned with presenting an enjoyable show.  It elicits strong emotions and reflections.  Nor is this a redemptive play but an ensnaring and overtly political work imbued with rage and the hope of breaking the cycle of racial hatred and persecution.

The Play "Good Friday" - Another Day of Gun Violence and Rape on Campus and this too Will Pass

The audience is asked to take a collective breath and forewarned there may be upsetting moments in today's performance.  This was an understatement.  The play clearly depicts scenes of a campus shooting, hostage situations and a graphic depiction of a co-ed being gang raped & video taped.  Kristina Rae Colon is a playwright, poet and actor.  Her play "Good Friday" is a gambit into immersive, intensive writing holds the audience hostage.  An esoteric feminist discussion about love using Ibsen's "Doll House" as a paradigm precedes a cataclysmic shooting on campus.  The bloody massacre happens outside the building where the women are holed up becomes disturbing real.  The shooter's violent melee moves inside and the women do their best to barricade themselves & call for help.  Still in the classroom is Sophia a fervent Christian, Ariel, a brass hard-ass bitch and their loquacious professor.  Moments beforehand, Kinzie, an innate leader left to help the love stricken ingenue Asha with the mess of an unexpected menses.  Kinzie is heard banging on the door to be let back in.  The women scramble to unlock the door and rebuild their blockade.  Now the fear in the room is palpable and the chaos & uncertainty disturbingly real.  The play succeeds constructuring the intensity of this life or death event.  However, a malady of bloody metaphors mar the credibility of the siege.  Sophia draws a crucifix above the door using her menstrual blood.  Another plea to open the door is met with uncertainty but they clamor to open the door to offer protection.  Their reluctant intuition was correct.  The shooter enters holding Asha and another female hostage, Natalie.  The tension continues to escalate in this scenario that's become too mundane in our news cycle.  There's an unexpected twist revealing the shooter and her Natalie as her accomplice. The full body disguise and mask are strewn aside, the automatic rifle put down and the female shooter, Emme reveals herself.  Emme in a fugue state justifies the murders of the male students outside because they had gang raped her while filming the sexual assault.  This is where the fault lies.  The manifesto against a culture of rape which goes unpunished doesn't align with sympathizing vigil anti-murders.  The crux of the play shifts from fatal attacks on campus to the crisis of unchallenged sexual assaults.  Colon is an intelligent writer but the messaging gets tangled.  The clever projection & sound design amplify shooting casualties, violence and rape on school campuses.  I commend the proffered support the cast offers in the lobby for victims of assault.  Sadly, these attacks have become all too common.  So too are the multitudes of victims of fatal shootings that continue to fade into the past until the next time.    

AFTER by Michael McKeever - Bullying, Bystanders and Battling Parents at 59 E 59

AFTER is a compelling one act drama of 2 families confronting each other over the bullying of one son over the other at their school which leads to a 3 days suspension of the perpetrator.  This prescient play by Michael McKeever ("Daniel's Husband") deals with the issues of tyrannical treatment of students from their peers along with gun violence in schools.  The two boys at the crux of the embattled families are Kyle the oppressor and Matthew the injured party.  Neither are ever present onstage.  The attempts at civility between the parents Julia & Tate, Kyle's folks and Connie & Allen, Matthew parents following Kyle's "threatening text" is not unlike the farcical play "God of Carnage" of "The Slap" where the attempts at acting like civil adults regarding their children's conduct breaks down into unleashed hostilities & parental accusations.  Connie & Alan Beckman were asked to the home of Julia & Tate Campbell to discuss the matter in a friendly manner.  The Campbell's intent is to mitigate their son's actions from an incident of bullying to a prank.  The text wasn't meant as a serious threat according to the Campbells.  Tate states "teen boys do stupid things." The Tates want to circumvent the expulsion of their son.  Connie claims Kyle's threat to her son warrants Kyle's immediate dismissal.  There's a 3rd party dragged into the fracas Val, Julia's sister and acquaintance of Connie's.  Connie feels Val isn't an impartial "mediator" but concedes to letting her to be present.  The bantering & blaming between the parents is sharp, unrelenting & wickedly humorous.   The construct of the 1 Act is broken into 3 parts before, during and after the tragic incident.  AFTER is entertaining throughout.  The import of the play is to be an up stander rather than merely being a bystander.  An up stander is someone who sees what happens and intervenes or speaks up to stop the bullying.  The repercussions of enabling Kyle's bullying are catastrophic.  Parenting, gun violence & our political climate all weigh into this provocative, dark comedy with timely messaging.    

Ailey II - ALL NEW PROGRAM at NYU Skirball

The Ailey II Dance Company is performing at NYU Skirball through Sunday.  Artistic Director Troy Powell since 2012 is only the 2nd person to lead Ailey since its inception in 1974.  Mr. Powell began his dance training at The Ailey School with at age nine.  He was a member of Ailey II and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1991 before becoming the Artistic Director for the Ailey II.   Last night Ailey II presented an all new program which featured the first work Powell choreographed for dancers in Ailey II.  The piece "EBB AND FLOW" ('18) was a soft and sensual pas de deux featuring Grace Bergonzi and Kyle Martin.  The music was by Samuel Barber one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th C.  The dancers melded into each other and moved apart while creating an elasticity that connected them at all times.  The soft lighting and costumes lent an ephemeral aura.  This luxuriant and languid choreography was serenely mesmerizing.  The other premiering choreograph by Bradley Shelver, a former Ailey II "WHERE THERE ARE TONGUES" was a high energy, folk-lorish dance with a modern and whimsical edge.  The ensemble dancers were all magnificent.  The music by Lo For De La Plana merged innovative archaic sonorities vocals which shaped the dancer's groupings hinting at cultural heritage dance indigenous to the Greek Islands.  Ailey II is performing 2 programs:  ALL NEW PROGRAM and RETURNING FAVORITES.   I recommend seeing both!

"The Owl" Posted on MTA Poetry in Motion - Be on the Lookout!

The MTA subway has its problems - you don't have to be an Einstein to uncover them.  But, it's wise  seeking out its artistic reprieves while you ride.  "The Owl" by Chinese-American poet Arthur Sze (b 1950) was in plain sight at the back of the car.  Sze has received a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry.  For those who may not have found this treasure hiding out in plain sight:
         
               The Owl

The path was purple in the dusk,
I saw an owl, perched on a branch.
And when the owl stirred a fine dust
fell from its wings.  I was silent then. And left the owl quaver
And at dawn waking the path was green in the May light.

A delightful hoot to brighten your day - albeit on the subway.

MET's The World between Empires: Art and Identity in the Middle East - Vital Testament to Cultural Heritage

The antiquities and art in the MET's exhibit "The World between Empires: Art and Identity in the Middle East" is most significant.  These ancient artifacts dating back to 2nd Century BC attest to the cultural, religious and artistic creativity attest to the lives of the indigenous population and travel routes and connections to other civilizations.   Many of the items on display signify battles, funerary rites and philosophical or religious convictions.  Furthermore, they are evidence of craftsmanship, construction capabilities and practices & ritualist traditions.  Much of the curation implies assumption of how items were utilized and valued.  There is an uncertainty of exact functions and precise date of origin.  Nonetheless, these are precious items for what they reveal of ancient history.  The import of what you see as you meander through the galleries may wane but excerpts from the film "The Destruction of Memory" reminds us of the most recent flagrant destruction of archeological sites, museums, mosques, monuments and relics by ISIL in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and at iconic sites in Palmyra and Hatra.  The videos discuss the cultural impact & connection between a population and its archeology and monuments.   What are the ramifications of the deliberate destruction & looting by ISIL in the 21st C?  UNESCO considers the intentional destruction of cultural heritage a war crime.  The priority lies with the safety and well-being of the people in these countries.  But, to destroy the art and monuments of a civilization demolishes the heritage and memory of that civilization.  Looking at art exhibits and other walks of life, it's critical to be mindful.  

"55 SHADES OF GAY" at LA MAMA -Sexual Revolution in the Balkans in a Revolutionary Foray

Nothing in "55 SHADES OF GAY" is subtle in this cabaret, burlesque, operatic political play that shames the sexual oppression of LGBT rights that blankets the Balkans in the 21st C.   Jeton Neziraj (b Kosovo 1967) is a prominent political playwright that yanks the curtain the covers the oppression & denial of the gay community of their constitutional rights.  "55 Shades" sets political heads rolling when a homosexual couple applies for a marriage certificate as provided for in the country's constitution.  However, family law states that marriage should only be granted to same sex couples.  The 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots that ushered in a new era of gay rights will be celebrated this summer with pride and peaceful parades.  The Balkan countries are connected to conservative or religious ideologies that condemn homosexuality and condone violence & prejudice towards the LGBT community.  Government officials continue to pressure the LGBT community to remain underground, subjecting them to shaming and discrimination. A gay couple applies for a marriage license "because we love each other and want to be married."  The couple is harangued & forced to produce numerous documentations and endure countless humiliations.   The vast artistic creativity onstage is innovative, provocative and unabashedly electrifying.  The widespread heinous homophobia that persists in the Kosovar-Albanian society is besieged in vivid & strident methods to herald a new era of tolerance.  Seeing "55 SHADES OF GAY" is a colorful pastiche of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" meets Tosca and Maya Angelou: "Love recognizes no barriers.  Love jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination."   Neziraj's "55 SHADES OF GAY" scorches the inane & inhumane obstacles to people loving each other.  The set is festooned with condom balloons, neon lights and integrates an ingenuous musical score.  The play also eloquently touches the heart in its quieter moments.  A tree on stage testifies to having born witness to years of homophobic brutality and stands as a reminder there are no innocent bystanders.   "55 SHADES OF GAY" at LA MAMA must be seen in all its glory.

"Dying in Boulder" at LA MAMA - Dying and Trying to Reconcile the Past and the Hereafter

"Dying in Boulder" is a thoughtful play that looks back on the life a dying woman (Bernadette Quigley) and her orchestration of her Buddhist burial.  The play orbits around dying, the "big D" and how people confront or deny the inevitability of human mortality.  The dying woman's family consist of a daughter (Fenton Li) ready to give birth, a doting husband (Fenton Li) and a sister Lydia (Jan Leslie- Harding). Raised in MN the sisters' lives take on their own journeys.  One sister remains to care for their dependent parents while the other absconds to LA to become an acclaimed actress.  After the girl's parents are deceased (Bernadette) sets off on a more exotic journey to the Philippines where she meets, marries and returns to the US, settling in Boulder where they raise their daughter.  (Bernadette) has assumed Buddhist philosophies but hasn't entirely cast off sibling resentments or her parental guilt.   Lydia has achieved a middling acting career and has come to help care for her dying sister but she doesn't care for the rituals (clearly laid out in colored binders) concerning the cleansing & cremation of her sister's corpse.  Playwright Linda Faigga-Hall ("The Female Heart) manages to view the yin & yang of life & death and its acceptance & denial in varying cultural norms.  The play uses levity to raise the solemn topic of a dignified death.  The play takes a shrill detour when the Lydia wants to commandeer the funeral arrangements disregarding her sisters wishes.  Unfortunately, familial dysfunction, blame & regret are splayed which shrouds the grace of redemption & a dignified death in shallow light.  Still, "Dying in Boulder" is a karmic cleanser.  The play constructs a sensitive and thoughtful play unafraid to face the fear of facing death.   "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."  (Buddhist philosophy)

Marcus Shelby Quintet Featuring Kim Nalley and Freedom Jazz Choir - Nalley is a National Treasure

The Raven Playhouse in Healdsburg was honored to have Marcus Shelby and his jazz quintet and the marvelous, amazing jazz vocalist Kim Nalley.  Shelby is a renown bass player, composer and band leader.  He's received multiple awards for his musical accomplishments ("Beyond the Blues - A Prison Oratorio" as well as honors for his social activism and dedication to providing musical education into the public schools.  Kim Nalley is one of the finest jazz blues singers on par with the legendary greats: Sarah Vaughn, Bessie Smith & Billie Holiday.  Nalley has a 3 octave range, a rich vocal pitch and artistic interpretation that was - jaw dropping!  Both Shelby and Nalley hail from  in Bay Area; a mere hour away from Healdsburg in Sonoma County.  The proximity to the musical Mecca in San Fran provides the outlying areas a bounty of talented musicians & artists.  Shelby has gone above & beyond in his magnanimous time mentoring youths & facilitating musical programs in schools.  Nalley has performed with the SF Symphony at the request of conductor Michael Tilson Thomas who overheard her singing at a local jazz venue.  Both Shelby & Nalley have graced the world class jazz forums including Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis' Orchestra.  Shelby's exceptionally gifted quintet consisted of Gaea Schell on piano, Bill Ortiz on trumpet, Sly Randolph on drums and Tomoko Funaki on bass.  The program included music by jazz legends Ellington & Armstrong. Nalley's rendition of "What a Wonderful World" was the highlight of this spectacular event.  I can't sing the praises of Kim Nalley enough - she scaled the heights with her phenomenal range.  The evening was not without its own local Freedom Jazz Choir joining the performance.  The host for the evening invited locals to join the local jazz choir - whether you can sing or not.  This brought chuckles from the audience and was corroborated from their off-key contribution.  The 100 members of the choir sat in the audience and made their way, twice, shuffling on and off the stage which was a major distraction.  The artistic director of the Choir, Tiffany Austin conducted and added her own beautiful vocals.  Ms. Austin gave a star performance.  The professional talent on stage paired with the 100 member local Freedom Jazz Choir spoke volumes to the power of music as a uniting, inspiring and life affirming art form.

The Play "The Nether" by Jennifer Haley at Left Edge Theater is an Underwhelming Sci-Fi Thriller

The Left Edge Theater in Santa Rosa, CA is an intimate playhouse.  Their mission is to present contemporary plays (written within the last 5 years) "to thrill and challenge audiences"..."in search of what is best in ourselves and in the human spirit."  Last night's production of  "The Nether" written by Jennifer Haley received the Susan Smith Blackburn  Prize ('12) awarded to up & coming women playwrights.  The play is a sci-fi thriller; an ambitious & intriguing genre for live theater.  Haley questions the boundaries between the real world and virtual reality and the blurred ethical behaviors imbedded in the subversive vortex of the internet.  This is an admirable idea to dissect given more & more time is being spent on the internet rather than engaging in - life.  The reality is a vast majority of time spent on the internet is viewing pornography much of which is illicit pedophilia.  Detective Morris is interrogating Sims or Papa as he's known in the virtual world he's created in the late 19th C.  Papa has established himself as the patriarch in his constructed stratosphere.  He's created 4 children. The eldest child Iris (Lana Spring) is a lovely prepubescent girl who vies for Papa's attention & adoration.  It becomes evident Sims has created an underworld for men to engage their fantasies of having virtual & visceral sex with children.  Detective Morris is working to find & destroy Sims' server that has eluded the authorities.  Sims is a slithering, sinister character not easily intimidated.  Doyle, a broken-down science teacher (David Yen) is a more pliable witness.  Haley ventures down the rabbit hole of material that's been gleaned in numerous sci-fi movies involving artificial intelligence & the double edged sword shorn by the internet.  Numerous studies have challenged the correlation between watching violent media and aggression.  Still, Haley raised a challenging question, does channeling perverse & immoral behaviors in a virtual world serve the better good by steering perpetrators away from actual victims.  "The Nether" possesses a creepy atmosphere delving into the hellish world of internet child pornography.  Unfortunately, "The Nether" is neither credible or challenging.  David Yen as a witting participant in internet porn portrays a sympathetic character also viewed as a victim despite willfully abetting victims of children abuse.  New comer & co-ed Lana Spring was captivating as Iris, an innocent figure mired in the matrix.