Thursday, July 27, 2017

THE BUBBLY BLACK GIRL SHEDS HER CHAMELEON SKIN: This Perfect Fit For Encores! Off-Center's Mission Deserves A Longer Run





It's easy to imagine that, in the hands of the right director, Kirsten Childs' lightly satirical musical The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin might shed its own chameleon skin and embrace a sharper tone that could serve as an edgy commentary on the state of race relations in the U. S. today.  

As it stands, however, it still is a worthy model for the kind of programming well suited to the mission of New York City Center's Encores! Off-Center, the summertime younger sibling to the well-established Encores! series of productions of (usually) seldom-seen older Broadway shows that takes place during the winter and spring. In a similar vein, Encores! Off Center tackles Off Broadway shows.  

Now in its fourth season, Encores! Off Center has not yet fully found its footing. Some of its productions, for instance, have been little more than straight-up concerts, while others have been done (generally more successfully) in the style of the regular Encores! series, as semi-staged versions. This is how The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin has been developed, under Robert O'Hara's surprisingly tame direction (surprising, because as a playwright, Mr. O'Hara has shown himself to be quite at home with the raw and raucous with such works as Bootycandy).   


The show itself, which was last seen at Playwright's Horizons in 2000, is a semi-autobiographical tale of one young black woman's journey to self-discovery. It is divided into two acts. The first takes place in Los Angeles during the turbulent 1960s, where we meet up with young Viveca Stanton (aka "Bubbly"), portrayed by a delightful Nikki M. James whom you might remember from her Tony Award-winning role as the naive Nabulungi who longs to journey to the promised land of Salt Lake City in The Book of Mormon.  

When we first see Bubbly, she is a young child who has already developed a sense that being black puts her on a lower rung, possibly a dangerous one. Early on, she learns of the 1963 Birmingham, Alabama church bombing in which four young black girls were killed. That story finds its way into her nightmares, and she wonders if she might be in jeopardy herself.  

And so she starts to identify with her seemingly more desirable white peers. She spends a lot of time engaged in serious conversations with her favorite white doll, Chitty Chatty ("I've decided I'm going to be white, just like you!"), and only plays with her black doll when she thinks her mother is looking. She has also absorbed her father's life lesson to "Smile, Smile" at the world and to always present an upbeat positive image of herself.  

It takes a long time, and an Act II move to New York City, for Bubbly to learn that presenting herself always in this way is neither honest nor healthy. It is not until the very end of the show that the people-pleasing "Bubbly" makes way for the realistically tougher and more self-assured "Viveca."  Before that occurs, however, we will have spent a lot of time with Bubbly as she experiences the pains and tribulations of elementary, middle, and high school, where she is frequently bullied and rejected by her peers as a misfit and turncoat "Oreo"; she only briefly finds respite in her beloved dance class and during the "colorblind" hippie era with her white boyfriend Cosmic Rainbow (a very funny Josh Davis, who later takes on the role of a not-so-funny policeman).   

For a New York audience, at least, Act II is the more sharply written, and the tone is amped up with some bite. Even the costumes - all pastels in the California sequences - have become New York black. When Bubbly arrives and greets the city with enthusiasm, it is with the certitude that she will make it as a professional dancer in short order. But her " 'Scuse me, pardon me, have a nice day" is met with a chorus of "Get the fuck out of the way!"  

Production photos by Joan Marcus


Undaunted, Bubbly continues to take dance classes, and she winds up auditioning for "Director Bob" (another role well-played by Mr. Davis and presumably modeled on Bob Fosse), who is casting for a Broadway show.  In a very funny and snappy sequence, Director Bob asks Bubbly to read some lines. She does, but he wants her to try again, and this time, "don't go white on me." Taken somewhat aback, Bubbly pulls off the only thing she can think of, an excessively exaggerated Southern black reading based on the stylings of the Warner Brothers cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn. 

This is the kind of thing the show could use more of; it is original, funny, and disturbing all at the same time (especially since it effectively lands her the role she has been trying out for). There are lots of other opportunities throughout the show to build on this kind of dark humor: a potentially explosive encounter with the police, some ugly moments in dance class, the unpleasant experience of working in the secretarial pool at "Glass Ceiling Corporation." All of these moments fly by with little regard as to their significance.  I'd love to see this show in the hands of a director like Lileana Blain-Cruz, who brilliantly helmed Suzan-Lori Parks' The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World AKA the Negro Book of the Dead at the Signature Theatre last year.  

The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin is, of course, a musical, and Kirsten Childs has created a nice compilation of rhythm and blues, traditional show-tunes, gospel, and even jazz-infused numbers that keep things moving forward - although there are a couple of songs in Act II that, while excellent in and of themselves, are outliers that serve mostly to highlight the raise-the-roof performances by, respectively, Julius Thomas III as Bubbly's short-lived boyfriend, and by Kenita R. Miller, as his advice-giving grandmother.  

The cast as a whole is quite excellent, as is the onstage band under Anastasia Victory's fine musical direction. And even though the show lacks the kind of bite that would ratchet up its relevance, it is well worth seeing.  Unfortunately, this production is only scheduled for two performances (regular Encores! productions generally run for five, including three on the weekends). So, if you happen to read this before, say, 5 p.m., you will have but a couple of hours to catch the second and last show at 7:30. 

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Feel free to share this blog with your friends, and to offer up your own theater stories by posting a comment. I also invite you to check out the website Show-Score.Com, where you will find capsule reviews of current plays from Yours Truly and many other New York critics.




Wednesday, July 26, 2017

NEW YORK INNOVATIVE THEATRE AWARD NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED




Some of the best work in New York theater takes place in the world of Off-Off Broadway, with productions finding homes in various tucked-away corners of the city. Exciting!  Creative!  Imaginative!  Innovative!

Congratulations to the nominees for the 2017 New York Innovative Theatre Awards:

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE

Matt Harrington, Suzy Jane Hunt, Chelsea Melone, Susan Neuffer, Jacob Perkins, Rob Karma Robinson
In the Room, Kelli Giddish with Slant Theatre Project, in association with Wheelhouse Theater Company
Michael Broadhurst, Curzon Dobell, Ken Forman, Benim Foster, Allen McCullough
Men of Tortuga, Living Room theatre
Brittany Allen, Vinie Burrows, Ugo Chukwu, Constance Cooper, Milo Cramer, Fernando Gonzalez, Jonathan Gordon, David Greenspan, Tommy Heleringer, Chris Henry, Veronica Hunsinger-Loe, Hannah Mitchell, Caitlin Morris, Craig Mungavin, Jeanna Phillips, Madeline Wise
Minor Character: Six Translations of Uncle Vanya at the Same Time, New Saloon Theater Co. in association with Emily Kaplan & Immediate Medium
Maia Bedford, Aaron Casey, Shabazz Green, Chris Gwynn, Marcie Henderson, Greg Horton, Brandi Knox, Billy Lowrimore, Ebony Marshall-Oliver, Sarita Amani Nash, Warren Nolan, Jr., Chinua B. Payne, Tony Perry, Joi Danielle Price, Vanessa Robinson, Alicia Thomas, Cartreze Tucker
Raisin, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Adam Baritot, Jefferson Behan, Amber Dewey, Samuel Floyd, David Fuller, John Jeffords, Zack Krajnyak, Samantha Kronenfeld, Lorinne Lampert, Tom McDonough, James Neufeld, Chrysten Peddie, Catherine Purcell, Mary Thorne, Tyler Whitaker
Sweeney Todd, Theater 2020
Raquel Chavez, Shannon Condon, Kate Eastman, Shaun Bennet Fauntleroy, John Hardin, Patrick Harvey, Brian Demar Jones, Joe Jung, Peter Molesworth, Catherine Mullins, Andrew L. Ricci, Sam Richardson, Nora Rickey, Kate Ross, Will Sarratt, Caroline Smith, JT Stocks, Corey Whelihan
The Tempest, Smith Street Stage

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE

Dandy Darkly  
Dandy Darkly's Myth Mouth!, Dandy Darkly
William DeMeritt  
Origin Story, Old Sound Room
Mariah MacCarthy
Baby Mama: One Woman's Quest to Give Her Child to Gay People, Caps Lock Theatre
Christine Renee Miller  
Such Nice Shoes, FrokieCo.
Andrew W. Smith  
The Gun Show (part of the Women in Theatre Festival), Project Y Theatre Company
Liz Stanton
The Woman Who Was Me, Convergences Theatre Collective


OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE

Christopher Borg  
And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, Retro Productions
Zachary Clark  
King Lear, The Secret Theatre
Griffin Hennelly  
Koalas are Dicks, Randomly Specific
Zack Krajnyak
Sweeney Todd, Theater 2020
Jacob Perkins  
In the Room, Kelli Giddish with Slant Theatre Project, in association with Wheelhouse Theater Company
Jason Pintar
The Underpants Godot, The Secret Theatre
Matthew Trumbull  
Marian, Or The True Tale of Robin Hood, Flux Theatre Ensemble
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE

Ivanna Cullinan
Three Sisters, Obvious Volcano in association with Maggie Cino
Sharvari Deshpande  
The Queen, Aman Soni  in association with Juggernaut Theatre Co. and Theater for the New City
MarieLouise Guinier
Evensong, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Hannah Mitchell  
Minor Character: Six Translations of Uncle Vanya at the Same Time, New Saloon Theater Co. in association with Emily Kaplan & Immediate Medium
Samantha Schiffman  
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, The Gallery Players
Kara Young
In the Event of My Death, Stable Cable Lab Co. in association with IRT Theater

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE

Jack Horton Gilbert  
Marian, Or The True Tale of Robin Hood, Flux Theatre Ensemble
Nico Grelli
The Jamb, Hard Sparks
Michael Kingsbaker  
The Red Room, The Shelter
Warren Nolan Jr.  
Raisin, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Jeremy Tardy  
Dark Night Bright Stars, Yara Arts Group in association with La MaMa ETC
R. Scott Williams  
Boys of a Certain Age, Willow Theatricals

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE

Carla Briscoe
Wine and Spirits, Red Shark Productions
Arlene Chico-Lugo
Evensong, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Ashley Griffin
Hamlet, A.N.O.N. Productions
Meghan E. Jones
The Red Room, The Shelter
Sarah K. Lippmann  
Three Sisters, Obvious Volcano in association with Maggie Cino
Moira Stone  
Three Sisters, Obvious Volcano in association with Maggie Cino

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY / MOVEMENT

Hettie Barnhill
The Cabaret At The End Of The World, Hard Sparks
Tamrin Goldberg  
Raisin, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Lucia Knell  
For Annie, The Hearth
Rocio Mendez  
Marian, Or The True Tale of Robin Hood, Flux Theatre Ensemble
Sarah Sutliff  
Old Turtle and the Broken Truth, Rebel Playhouse
Jeremy Williams  
The Woman Who Was Me, Convergences Theatre Collective


OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR

Dev Bondarin  
Raisin, Astoria Performing Arts Center
David Drake  
The Jamb, Hard Sparks
Morgan Green  
Minor Character: Six Translations of Uncle Vanya at the Same Time, New Saloon Theater Co. in association with Emily Kaplan & Immediate Medium
Ashley Griffin  
Hamlet, A.N.O.N. Productions
Adam Knight  
In the Room, Kelli Giddish with Slant Theatre Project, in association with Wheelhouse Theater Company
Emma Miller  
For Annie, The Hearth
Jeremy Williams  
The Woman Who Was Me, Convergences Theatre Collective

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN

Russ Bockemhuel & Luther Frank
Titus, New York Deaf Theatre
Joe Cantalupo  
The Red Room, The Shelter
Catherine Clark  
Koalas are Dicks, Randomly Specific
Scot Gianelli  
#liberated, The Living Room
Kate Jaworski  
The Woman Who Was Me, Convergences Theatre Collective
Marika Kent  
Now is the Time, Little Lord in association with Abrons Arts Center

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

Joseph Blaha  
The Queen, Aman Soni  in association with Juggernaut Theatre Co. and Theater for the New City
Karen Boyer  
Now is the Time, Little Lord in association with Abrons Arts Center
Izzy Fields
Anais Nin Goes to Hell, Manhattan Theatre Works (MTWorks) in association with Goode Productions
Jason E Frey  
Hedda (Gabler), Wandering Bark Theatre Co.
Emily Oliveira  
Minor Character: Six Translations of Uncle Vanya at the Same Time,
New Saloon Theater Co. in association with Emily Kaplan & Immediate Medium
Jeannipher Pacheco  
Raisin, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Emily Rose Parman  
Much Ado About Nothing, Hudson Warehouse

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN

Christopher Bowser
The Red Room, The Shelter
Jack and Rebecca Cunningham  
And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, Retro Productions
Meg McGuigan  
Koalas are Dicks, Randomly Specific
Lawrence E. Moten III  
Raisin, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Frank Oliva  
#liberated, The Living Room
Reid Thompson  
Empathitrax, Colt Coeur

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN

Aidan Meyer  
The Red Room, The Shelter
Matt Otto
Empathitrax, Colt Coeur
John Salutz  
The Cabaret At The End Of The World, Hard Sparks
Daniel Steffey  
Titus, New York Deaf Theatre
Jeanne Travis  
The City that Cried Wolf, State of Play Productions Inc
Emma Wilk  
Raisin, Astoria Performing Arts Center

OUTSTANDING INNOVATIVE DESIGN

Lianne Arnold  
for Projection Design
Such Nice Shoes, FrokieCo.
David Bengali, John Erickson, Reid Farrington, Jorge Garcia-Spitz, David Mauro, Dan Monceaux, Leegrid Stevens
for Video Design & Animation
The Dudleys!, Loading Dock Theatre Company
Samantha Blain, Kristopher Dean, Claron Hayden, Casey Scott Leach,  Carli Rhoades, Mikayla Stanley
for Puppets
Whales, Hit The Lights! Theatre Co.
Russ Bockemhuel & Luther Frank
for Video Design
Titus, New York Deaf Theatre
Karen Boyer  
for Puppets
Now is the Time, Little Lord in association with Abrons Arts Center
Sara Slagle
for properties
And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, Retro Productions
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC
Melody Bates & Rebecca Hart  
The Cabaret At The End Of The World, Hard Sparks
Samantha Blain, Kristopher Dean, Claron Hayden, Casey Scott Leach,  Carli Rhoades, Mikayla Stanley
Whales, Hit The Lights! Theatre Co.
Rachel Blumberg, Dandy Darkly, Bryce Edwards & Adam Tendler  
Dandy Darkly's Myth Mouth!, Dandy Darkly
Deepali Gupta  
Minor Character: Six Translations of Uncle Vanya at the Same Time, New Saloon Theater Co. in association with Emily Kaplan & Immediate Medium
Julian Kytasty  
Dark Night Bright Stars, Yara Arts Group in association with La MaMa ETC
Daniel Steffey  
Titus, New York Deaf Theatre
Clara Strauch
The Tempest, Smith Street Stage

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SHORT SCRIPT

Ryan King  
Antares Returning a part of The Spring Fling: Rebound, F*It Club
Dan Moyer
All Is Bright a part of The Spring Fling: Rebound, F*It Club
Charlie O'Leary
Precious Body a part of Landmarks & TRANSformations, Project Y Theatre Company
Junshin Soga  
One Fine Day, Junshin Soga
Christopher G. Ulloth  
Bi-Cycle a part of Landmarks & TRANSformations, Project Y Theatre Company
Kathleen Warnock  
How to Get Married in 5 Steps Over 17 Years a part of
Landmarks & TRANSformations, Project Y Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL FULL-LENGTH SCRIPT
Melody Bates  
The Cabaret At The End Of The World, Hard Sparks
William DeMeritt  & Elia Monte-Brown  
Origin Story, Old Sound Room
Lawrence Dial
In the Room, Kelli Giddish with Slant Theatre Project, in association with Wheelhouse Theater Company
Mariah MacCarthy
Baby Mama: One Woman's Quest to Give Her Child to Gay People, Caps Lock Theatre
Morgan McGuire  
The Red Room, The Shelter
Aditya Rawal
The Queen, Aman Soni  in association with Juggernaut Theatre Co. and Theater for the New City

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE ART PRODUCTION
 
Dandy Darkly's Myth Mouth!
Dandy Darkly  
The Infinite Wrench
New York Neo-Futurists
Kevin!!!!
Recent Cutbacks
Landmarks & TRANSformations
Project Y Theatre Company
Now is the Time
Little Lord in association with Abrons Arts Center 
Rules
The New Stage Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
 
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The Secret Theatre
The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit
The Workshop Theater
Old Turtle and the Broken Truth
Rebel Playhouse
Ragtime
The Gallery Players
Raisin
Astoria Performing Arts Center
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
The Gallery Players

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY
 
Hamlet
A.N.O.N. Productions
King Lear
The Secret Theatre
And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little
Retro Productions
Much Ado About Nothing
Hudson Warehouse
The Tempest
Smith Street Stage
Three Sisters
Obvious Volcano in association with Maggie Cino
 
 
OUTSTANDING PREMIERE PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
 
In the Room
Kelli Giddish with Slant Theatre Project, in association with Wheelhouse Theater Company
Minor Character: Six Translations of Uncle Vanya at the Same Time
New Saloon Theater Co. in association with Emily Kaplan & Immediate Medium
The Red Room
The Shelter
The Underpants Godot
The Secret Theatre
The Woman Who Was Me
Convergences Theatre Collective
Whales
Hit The Lights! Theatre Co.


Winners will be announced at the 13th annual NYIT Awards ceremony on September 25.

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Feel free to share this blog with your friends, and to offer up your own theater stories by posting a comment. I also invite you to check out the website Show-Score.Com, where you will find capsule reviews of current plays from Yours Truly and many other New York critics.