Barb/Kari/Susan: There is no photo with this edition; the reviewed show has not had publicity photos taken as of yet! As such, I've over-written the review to fill the space normally taken by the photo. If you need any cutting, please contact me to do it! Suggested format should be similar to 12-13 (without the pic, of course).
Review: 'The Trees Don't Bleed in Tuskegee'
Shameful study gets thoughtful treatment by Phases Theatre Company
New theater company debuts with engaging drama
If a "cool city" is a place that attracts and keeps innovative artists – and encourages them to ply their trades – then Detroit got a little cooler last week with the debut of the Phases Theatre Company at the Hastings Street Ballroom.
Rather than look elsewhere for fame and fortune, native Detroiters Elana Elyce and Yolanda Jack have made a commitment to the Motor City that by itself deserves applause: At a time when most theaters are struggling to survive, they have expanded the opportunities for local talent to make a living at their chosen craft.
It won't be easy for them to succeed, of course – especially in today's economy. However, their initial effort – although not perfect – shows great promise; the Phases Theatre Company is, indeed, a welcome addition to our professional theater community.
For their opening production, Elyce and Jack wanted to stage a powerful drama, and playwright Duane Chandler's "The Trees Don't Bleed in Tuskegee" certainly fits that description.
The playwright based his script on the true story of a secret 40-year medical experiment that was conducted on black men in Alabama beginning in 1932. Its revelation stunned the world upon its discovery.
Although the study might have started out with a laudable goal – to find a way to stop a syphilis epidemic that was surging among black men in the South – its racist and ethically immoral procedures far outstripped anything positive that was gained from it. (In fact, the outrageousness continued long after the cure for syphilis – penicillin – was discovered!)
Luckily for audiences, Chandler doesn't concern himself with writing an historical account of the event; rather, he presents a very human drama that examines what affect the study – and the disease – had on a handful of poor black men who were victimized by it.
While playing dominoes with his longtime friends Speedy and Link, Art, an aging dirt farmer, gets a visitor: a heretofore unknown nephew. James, it turns out, is a young reporter for the New York Daily News. His first assignment is to write a story about the Tuskegee Experiment. Although at first apprehensive, Art agrees to be the subject of his nephew's story.
Chandler's strong point is his excellent ear for dialogue. The cadence and phraseology he employs roll off the actors' tongues quite naturally; the conversations never sound contrived. His characters are well delineated by what they say and how they say it.
His flaw, however, is this: It sometimes takes the playwright far too long to make his point. This is readily apparent early on in Act One where it seemingly takes forever to establish the characters and their relationships to each other. Sure, the dialogue has some fun moments, but that should never take precedence over moving the plot forward in a timely manner. (There are ways to do both successfully!)
And with only a few minor revisions, one short and fairly needless transitional scene could be easily dropped in its entirety.
Chandler's colorful characters are brought to life by a troupe of actors with varying degrees of theater training and experience. On the plus side, all of the performances in this engaging production are – at the very least – adequate.
Elyce especially shines in her one short scene as Art's wife, Cora; Nelson Jones, Jr. is effective as Paint, a drunk who eventually succumbs to the disease. And Douglas McCray, who – as Art – rarely leaves the stage, is generally fine – although his line delivery sometimes gets repetitious.
But experience DOES count for something, and the lack thereof reveals itself at various times throughout the production.
Most obvious, again, is early in the aforementioned Act One. When people are engaged in a lively discussion, rarely do you hear pauses in the conversation; rather, one participant's words flow directly into the next. Here and elsewhere throughout the show, that does not always happen; the natural-sounding dialogue is not always delivered naturally.
And an actor should NEVER deliver the same line the same way three times! (There's a reason why a playwright sometimes repeats a line multiple times, and experienced actors know how to milk it for all its worth!)
Finally, Debra Carter's staging is generally serviceable. What's bothersome, however, is this: Even at its most poignant moments, there's a coldness that resonates in her direction. Actors often don't look each other in the eye when they are speaking, and all too frequently, lines are delivered directly to the audience rather than to the characters they are directed to. Such a concept might feel right if applied only to the cold-hearted medical personnel, but it doesn't ring true with the other characters.
"The Trees Don't Bleed in Tuskegee" Staged Friday through Sunday by Phases Theatre Company at the Hastings Street Ballroom, 715 E. Milwaukee (at Oakland), Detroit, through April 11. Tickets: $20. 313-438-6096.
The Bottom Line: Even with its flaws, this entertaining production is a promising start for Detroit's newest professional theater company.
Theater News
ZeitGeist fades out theater, fades in film
Metro Detroit's professional theater scene will shine less brightly next season, as the upcoming production of "The Chairs" at ZeitGeist Gallery and Performance Venue brings to an end a highly memorable seven-season run of innovative theater at the avant-garde Detroit playhouse.
And surprisingly enough, it is not money – or the lack thereof – that is the driving force behind producer Troy Richard's decision to stop producing live theater at ZeitGeist; rather, it is his desire to return to his artistic roots.
"Troy's background is originally in film," explained ZeitGeist Theater's longtime Artistic Director, John Jakary, "and when he graduated in 1989, [the cost of] doing film on your own was a very big prohibiting factor. Now, the price of digital cameras and the computers you need to process video has come down very, very significantly, and he has the opportunity to get a very good system. He wants to take advantage of it and do what was his original way of expressing himself in art."
According to Jakary, Richard expects to begin showing independent films and videos at ZeitGeist shortly after the first of the year. It will become a home for local producers to regularly showcase their work.
"We are also going to make our own films and videos and show them here, as well," Jakary said.
In fact, Jakary, who plans on remaining with ZeitGeist, is considering filming some of his theater's original works.
"I don't know anything about film," Jakary acknowledged, "so it's going to be a learning experience for me."
For his theater's final production, Jakary chose to stage Eugene Ionesco's comic-absurdist play, "The Chairs," teaming longtime ZeitGeist favorite Leah Smith with Roy K. Dennison, an award-winning actor who has appeared on nearly every stage throughout the area over the past 50 years.
"It's a play that I love very, very much. When Troy started talking about changing things, I decided that if I have this one [last] opportunity, I definitely wanted to do 'The Chairs.'"
Called a "tragic farce" by the playwright, "The Chairs" explores the wonder and sadness of dotage, as an old man invites the world's dignitaries and intellectuals to his island home to hear his important message for humanity.
"The show is kind of taking on a life of its own," Jakary chuckled. "Leah and Roy are talking about doing things a little bit differently, and so far, it's working out quite nice."
Given ZeitGeist Theater's track record for staging imaginative and powerful works, its thirty-fourth and final production should be a magnificent sendoff.
The closure of ZeitGeist Theater does not portend the end of avant-garde theater in Detroit, however. Jakary intends to continue staging shows, but at different venues.
"I have a show lined up for October of this year," he indicated. "There are some other venues that have popped up, and it's just a question of getting in with them and doing my own thing."
The ZeitGeist Gallery, established in 1997, will remain open during the transition.
"The Chairs" Presented Friday through Sunday at ZeitGeist Gallery and Performance Venue, 2661 Michigan Ave., Detroit, April 23 – May 16. Tickets: $15. 313-965-9192. www.zeitgeistdetroit.org.
