PicksInSix Review: East Texas Hot Links - Court Theatre

Articulate, Impactful ‘East Texas Hot Links’
PicksInSix® Review | Guest Contributor | Ronald Keaton

There is a stellar production of Eugene Lee’s signature play “East Texas Hot Links” playing now at Court Theatre in Chicago through September 29. It is an articulate, impactful play that echoes in one’s mind long after the curtain comes down in its eloquent and painful comment on the remnants of the civil rights movement in America, how it continues to resonate and affect so many of our societal mores.  It bears the unmistakable stamp of the great director Ron OJ Parson, who has a relationship with this piece that forces us, in its sheer professionalism alone, to see an unencumbered view of what Jim Crow has done to our world and continues to do today.

Imagine the mid-1950s in the South—in this case, east Texas—at a small café/saloon back in the “piney woods.”  We are privy to a group of folks who all know each other, whose familiarity is not just palpable, it’s vital for the telling of this story. And this production offers one of the finest presentations of true ensemble acting we will ever see.  The intimate banter, the intuitive approaches in character, the story’s roadmap that is laid out for the cast, enhancing each actor’s planting of their artistic feet by literally grabbing and shaking us. It’s as hard as anything we may have seen in recent seasons at Court.  And it’s all couched in, yes, the love that people can have for each other by pointing out the bad and raising high the good in us.

This cast. The play begins with Kelvin Roston Jr., a Court favorite, as Roy, a man whose checkered past (a trait shared by others here) has made him look at starting over in a more productive way. He’s always had a huge attraction for the owner/bartender Charlesetta (a glowing AnJi White), who keeps him and all the men in the bar constantly at bay. There’s Adolph (Willie B. in a strong portrayal), a blind philosopher of sorts whose gravitas helps steer the conversation. Beside him at his table is Columbus (Alfred H. Wilson is a compelling influence) whose ownership of property gives him a more telling voice.

There’s the formidable AC Smith whose hustler/fortune teller Broochie dominates the story halfway through by a simple reading of the palm of Delmus (a naïve young man given wonderful shrift by David Dowd), a kid with big dreams and plans. Then there’s Buckshot (a dark and yet emotionally delicate performance by Geno Walker) who’s just gotten out of jail and simply trying to find his way.  And there’s Juwan Lockett in a defining portrayal as XL, a man whose instinct for survival overpowers his sense of decency and responsibility to his friends and family.

Little by little, the silence at the beginning of the play—one that is held to observe for a reason—gives way to exchanges between characters that make you listen to the words, other times to their rhythms, all the time to the presence and power of the voices. With the specter of the Klan exerting power all through it, director Parson deftly handles the intensity with the skill of a surgeon. This kind of story telling is indeed his specialty and it’s marvelous to watch.  And it’s a simple, highly effective Jack Magaw set design, this small tavern that offers big story. It’s highly complimented by a soft, layered lighting design from Jason Lynch.

Let us also remember that the setting and locale for “East Texas Hot Links” lives in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education and Emmitt Till and Rosa Parks and the emergence of MLK in the public eye. This is not just Black history, but American history, no matter any regard for political expedience. These characters are etched so well within these creative walls by Mr. Lee, an August Wilson disciple and accomplished actor/writer in his own right, and expertly guided by Mr. Parson to the ultimate surprise at the end of the play.  Well, unfortunately not a surprise to all, as you will see.  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR | RONALD KEATON received an Equity Jeff Award for the performance of his one-man show CHURCHILL. www.solochicagotheatre.com  Coming soon, his new solo play “Echo Holler.” www.echoholler.com

PHOTO|Michael Brosilow

COURT THEATRE
presents
East Texas Hot Links
5535 S Ellis Ave.
through September 29, 2023

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PicksInSix Review: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

“AN EMPTY WORLD WITHOUT THE BLUES”

Two seismic shifts create the drama in August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” now playing in a stunning revival at Writers Theatre in Glencoe. Director Ron OJ Parson masterfully allows one moment to erupt as if from thin air. The other comes on so ferociously that it will take your breath away as the startling summation of the power of Wilson’s driving narrative about discrimination and the unhinged rage from within that it fosters.

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All of this occurs on a single afternoon in 1927 at a Paramount Records recording studio in Chicago.  Ma Rainey (Felicia P. Fields) and her band–piano man Toledo (David Alan Anderson), guitarist Cutler (Alfred H. Wilson), bassist Slow Drag (A.C. Smith) and trumpeter Levee (Kelvin Roston Jr.)–along with her partner Dussie Mae (Tiffany Renee Johnson) and speech-impaired nephew Sylvester (Jalen Gilbert), are scheduled to meet with her manager Irvin (Peter Moore) and the studio owner Sturdyvant (Thomas J. Cox). 

With Rainey’s arrival delayed, the band sets up in the rehearsal room. The men draw lines concerning who is in charge when Irwin selects Levee’s new arrangement of Rainey’s iconic “Black Bottom” for the recording session. It becomes clear that the ambitious Levee has been working a side deal with Sturdyvant for new material. Convinced that he will be fronting his own band before too long, Levee ends up squarely at odds with Toledo, while Cutler and Slow Drag choose to just get along. All that changes when the notoriously feisty Rainey arrives and refuses to sing until everyone sees things her way, right down to giving Sylvester multiple tries at announcing.

Rainey is a survivor in a business that has exploited her talent. Fields takes full advantage of the inherent power of the role and her interactions with Levee–and everyone else–who challenges her authority. What Levee says and does may well cost him the job, particularly if his intimate relations with Dussie Mae are revealed. Roston expertly navigates the deep-seated hostility and remorse of Levee’s youth with powerful conviction. The brilliant individual performances of Anderson, Wilson and Smith establish an immediate connection together, with the mounting tension that drives the men to a tragic breaking point spurred on by the greed and careless disregard of the men holding the purse strings, roles Moore and Cox skillfully deliver.     

The studio setting, a gritty, ingenious Todd Rosenthal jewel, allows continuous, flow—inside-out and up-and-down—on three floors. Myrna Colley-Lee’s Roaring ’20s-era costumes glow under the rich hues of Jared Gooding’s lighting. Ray Nardelli’s sound mix is a key element in the superb music segments.   

One of the many inspiring and uplifting messages of this stirring production is that it would be “an empty world without the blues.” When Fields proceeds to prove Ma’s point and dazzle us vocally in an electrifying performance, we are literally transported back to a moment in time when the oppressive racist attitudes against generations of African-American entertainers were momentarily stripped away and what was left, and which endures today, is Ma Rainey’s soaring musical legacy.

PHOTOS|Michael Brosilow

WRITERS THEATRE
Presents
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
through March 17th
325 Tudor Court, Glencoe
(847) 242-6000

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PICKSINSIX Review: RADIO GOLF

‘RADIO GOLF’ - A Stroke of Genius!
by Kaitlyn Linsner

An inspiring, must-see… A captivated audience rose to their feet on opening night of Court Theatre’s Radio Golf to applaud a powerful cast and resonating performance. The production explores pressing societal issues at the intersections of race, politics, and morality with engaging dialogue, deep humanity, and some hearty laughs. An inspiring, must-see for Chicagoans.   

What it’s about …  ‘Radio Golf’ sets the stage in Pittsburgh’s Hill District during the late 1990s where three determined black real-estate developers Harmond Wilks (Allen Gilmore), his wife Mame Wilks (Ann Joseph) and their partner Roosevelt Hicks (James Vincent Meredith) are on the verge of completing an economic development plan in hopes of restoring the blighted neighborhood and positioning themselves to reach their desired social status. This project could bring great success to all of them, specifically to Harmond Wilks, who grew up in the neighborhood and is now in the midst of his campaign to become the first black mayor of the city. However, over the course of several visits by insightful, long-time community members Elder Joseph Barlow (Alfred H. Wilson) and Sterling Johnson (James T. Alfred), who disagree with the development plan, conflicts arise and play out through the lens of the black experience to offer a complex exploration of change.

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“Hail Hail, the Gang’s all Here” … The cast is terrific. Each member delivers an impactful performance perhaps most notable being Wilson’s portrayal of his eccentric character with genuine warmth and wisdom. Watch and wait for the gut-wrenching exchanges between the players especially when two commanding performers, Gilmore and Meredith, go head-to-head over purpose and calling.

Brilliant and thoroughly entertaining … While ‘Radio Golf’ takes place nearly twenty years ago, the story could not be more relevant today. It approaches uncomfortable truths about race dynamics and the nuances of human existence in a divisive society unapologetically. We celebrated moments of achievement with those on stage but remain unsure as to who truly wins in the end. We struggled through their conflicts of preservation or gentrification, moving up or selling out, right or wrong. We were ultimately given a brilliant, and thoroughly entertaining, opportunity to self-reflect on the impact we have on a profoundly personal and broader systemic level.

Detailed by design … Jack Magaw’s set design features impressive construction that accurately depicts the seasoned grit and character of a charming, old, unrestored building. An incredible amount of rigor was displayed in the smallest details, from the classic dirty crown molding to the concrete graffiti-ed stairs behind the windows. By not overlooking these details, the scenic elements enhanced by Clair Chrzan’s light design, engulfs the audience and enhances the believability in which this world exists.

Continue the Conversation … Court Theatre’s fine educational outreach programs continue with a panel discussion featuring director of ‘Radio Golf,’ Ron OJ Parson, and neighborhood-focused commercial real estate developer Leon I. Walker on Sunday, September 30 at 4:45 p.m. in the Abelson Auditorium about issues of urban revitalization and neighborhood economic development in Chicago. Admission is free.

PHOTOS|Michael Brosilow

COURT THEATRE
Presents
August Wilson’s
RADIO GOLF
through October 6th
5535 Ellis Avenue
(773) 753-4472

WEBSITE

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