The revival of Pearl Cleage’s rich and beautiful work Blues for an Alabama Sky offers a tale steeped in the hopes, dreams, and heartaches of struggling artists and activists during the Harlem Renaissance during the 1930s Depression era. Much the same as the world in which we now live, the universal hard times with so many struggling to make ends meet or pay the rent, all the while looking for work, will certainly resonate with audiences, even those of us West Coasters who have never been to Harlem.
Directed by Center Theatre Group’s Associate Artist and Tony Award-winning actor Phylicia Rashad who skillfully has the actors moving onto and off the stage, choreographed like a never-ending ballet, this outstanding production features the multi-talented ensemble of Joe Holt, Nija Okoro, Dennis Pearson, Greg Alverez ReidandKim Steele, all of whom totally inhabit their roles and bring genuine compassion for souls in turmoil with every ounce of their being. Kudos must also be given to the creative team, especially John Iacovelli for his evocative scenic design and Wendell C. Carmichael for all the perfectly beautiful and era-appropriate costume, wig and hair designs.
Living in a 1930s Harlem apartment building that has seen better days, Angel (Nija Okoro) is a free-spirited former Cotton Club singer who’s out of luck but never out of dreams. Now rooming with her gay friend Guy (Greg Alverez Reid),a costume designer waiting for Josephine Baker to invite him to join her in Paris while enthusiastically working on and sending her his designs, the two friends attempt to greet each day as a new opportunity to shine, both personally and professionally. It’s easy to see how these two young artists, who first met while entertaining customers in a well-known local brothel, need each other to keep their hopes and dreams alive.
Living across the hall is Delia (Kim Steele), a young activist trying to give the women of Harlem a choice about their future. When she meets Sam (Joe Holt), a prominent physician who is either delivering babies or out at the club letting the good times roll, Delia senses a kindred spirit and sets her sights on catching his attention. With these four well-crafted characters presented by such accomplished actors, it’s easy to get pulled into their lives through the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Setting much of that into action is Leland (Dennis Pearson), a well-dressed Southern gentleman recently arrived in Harlem from Alabama who is haunted by the wide-open skies and lost love he left behind. Unfamiliar with Harlem nightlife, he soon falls hard for Angel (who resembles his lost love) and sets his sights on marrying her. Things seem to be going along smoothly for the two until Angel discovers she is pregnant at the same time Guy invites her to join him in Paris on a first-class, all-expense-paid-for trip by none other than Miss Josephine Baker! It is then that the lives and dreams of these men and women converge with passion and politics, turning all of their lives around.
Tickets for Blues for an Alabama Sky at Center Theatre Group / Mark Taper Forum start at $30, available through CenterTheatreGroup.org, Audience Services at (213) 628-2772 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office (at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012). Performances run Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Center Theatre Group continues to require masks, along with proof of full vaccination, and a government or education-issued ID. Unvaccinated guests must provide proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken no more than 48 hours prior to attendance, or a professionally-administered negative rapid antigen test taken no more than 24 hours prior.
Style icon Fran Lebowitz worked odd jobs, such as taxi driving, belt peddling, and apartment cleaning (“with a small specialty in Venetian blinds”), before being hired by Andy Warhol as a columnist. And she never looked back. Well known as the author of many books, between 2001 to 2007, Lebowitz had a recurring role as Judge Janice Goldberg on the television drama Law & Order. She also had a part in the Martin Scorsese-directed film, The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). A raconteur if ever there was one, Lebowitz was once named one of the year’s most stylish women by Vanity Fair and continues to live in New York City, as she does not believe that she would be allowed to live anywhere else.
Los Angeles audiences are in for a real treat this weekend when The Broad Stage presents An Evening with Fran Lebowitz in which she will appear on stage for four performances only April 28 through May 1, with a Q+A with the audience following each performance. Special guests are set to appear at the following times: Anne Lit on Thursday, April 28 at 7:30pm; A Martínez on Friday, April 29 at 7:30pm; Sandra Tsing Loh on Saturday, April 30 at 2:00pm; Jon Brion on Saturday, April 30 at 7:30pm; and Larry Wilmore on Sunday, May 1 at 2:00pm, at The Broad Stage Main Stage, 1310 11th St. Santa Monica CA 90401. Onsite free parking. Tickets start at $55, available by phone at (310) 434-3200, online at www.thebroadstage.org, or at the box office three hours prior to each performance.