The Guthrie is returning to playwright Pearl Cleage's repertoire* after producing the beautifully tragic
Blues for An Alabama Sky two years ago. Unlike that play, which was set in 1930s Harlem,
The Nacirema Society is actually set in Alabama, and there's no tragedy, only comedy, romance, and a whole lot of fun. Set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement in 1964 Montgomery (there's a nice article in the program about the events of that "memorable year"),
The Nacirema Society is a multigenerational story of a wealthy and powerful Black family preparing for a debutante ball. The playwright summarizes it best (quoted in a program note from Artistic Director Joseph Haj): "Even in the midst of massive social upheaval and revolutionary change, people still found time to fall in and out of love, to keep the family secrets or spill the beans, and to embrace the great human chaos of their very specific lives." That feels very familiar and very human; with all the madness happening in the world right now, we still have to live our day to day lives and find joy wherever we can. And
The Nacirema Society, with a fantastic cast of Black women (plus one token guy) and stunning design, is one such source of joy.
See it on the Guthrie's thrust stage now through May 24.
All of Montgomery society (read: rich) is preparing for the centennial cotillion of The Nacirema Society, a special occurrence of the annual event in which daughters of wealthy Black families make their debuts. Family matriarch Grace Dunbar is preparing her granddaughter Gracie, a modern young woman who respects the family traditions but also wants to be free to pursue her own path. She'll be escorted by childhood friend Bobby, grandson of Grace's friend Catherine, who's "like a big brother." But the two grandmothers dream of more; they would love to see their progeny marry to continue the legacy. But Bobby is in love with a girl from the North who's not from society (read: poor), and Gracie dreams of moving to New York City to become a writer. Into this family drama are dropped a New York Times reporter who wants to write a story on the cotillion, and the daughter of the family's longtime maid with some secrets that threaten to blow everything up. Blackmail, romance, and surprising revelations play out in this tight-knit community, to very entertaining effect.
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grandmothers Grace (Greta Oglesby) and Catherine
(Regina Marie Williams, photo by Dan Norman) |
Director Valerie Curtis-Newton leads the talented and mostly local nine-person cast, and keeps the momentum and humor rolling, despite the nearly three-hour runtime. The play takes place in only two locations - primarily the Dunbar home, with a few scenes in the maid's home, but it feels dynamic and expansive. That's largely due to the incredible set, with the massive and impressive Dunbar home built on the thrust stage. The maid's home is on the floor at the front of the stage, while the elegant Dunbar foyer and living room take up most of the thrust. A false proscenium frames the upper stories of the house at the back of the stage - the late Dr. Dunbar's study with massive bookshelves and a portrait of himself, and a grand staircase that ascends to an invisible third story. The set leaves no doubt in the success and taste of this family (scenic design by Takeshi Kata).
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the younger generation: Lily (Essence Renae) and
Gracie (Nubia Monks, photo by Dan Norman) |
Where do I start with this cast? It would be appropriate to start with the matriarch herself, the divine Greta Oglesby. She positively reigns as Grace, portraying her as a no-nonsense woman with indominable energy and determination, and very specific ideas of how things should be, but also a great love for her family and a willingness to do anything to secure their future. Nubia Monks is delightful as young Gracie, charming and spirited and endlessly curious about life. Regina Marie Williams steals scenes as Catherine, who's not quite as elegant and together as Grace. Aimee K. Bryant makes a formidable opponent to Grace as the maid's daughter who also loves her family and will do anything for them, namely her daughter Lily, played by Essense Renae as a more mature and serious-minded young woman. Also great are Dedra D. Woods as Gracie's more indulgent mother Marie, and Darrick Mosley as Bobby, the young man in love. Rounding out the cast, Joy Dolo brings her wonderful humor (and a fun New York accent) to the role of the reporter, doing a lot with a little, and Charla Marie Bailey speaks volumes with few lines as the ever-present and observant current maid Jessie. There's just an embarrassing amount of talent on this stage; Greta, Regina, and Aimee take their final bow together - three grand dames of #TCTheater in one play is almost more than one theater can hold.
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| the eventful dinner (photo by Dan Norman) |
Another thing that tells us just how successful these characters and this world are is Trevor Bowen exquisite costume design, with impeccable attention to detail. The women often wear suits, with a trim color or fabric that is carried throughout, and matching shoes on their feet demurely crossed at the ankle whilst sitting. The young people are more casual, but no less put together. Matriarch Grace dresses quite conservatively in cool colors, younger generation Marie is warmer, and Catherine's clothes are sometimes just a bit too much, as is she. And when everyone dresses up for the big dinner (this is a family where you dress for dinner), it's as amazing as you hope - sequins and rhinestones and satins, oh my! And because apparently it gets cold in December in Alabama, all visitors arrive at the Dunbar home with a coordinating coat and hat, only to be brisky removed before you can take it all in. These costumes are truly yummy.
I couldn't help but be reminded of the new CBS soap opera
Beyond the Gates, the first new daytime network soap in decades. Like this play, it focuses on a wealthy and powerful multi-generational Black family with a strong matriarch (played by legend of screen and stage Tamara Tunie, who stared in the
Ordway's 2019 production of 42nd Street).
Beyond the Gates is very soapy, and while this play does have some soapy elements (love triangles, surprise paternity revelations), it's all done in a spirit of great fun, not melodrama. But in both cases it's important to see generationally wealthy Black families, because they do exist and have always existed. While this play acknowledges the concurrent struggles for Civil Rights (Grace claims she participated in the 1955 bus boycotts because she's never ridden the bus in her life, and sent her driver to pick up her maid), it's also a celebration of Black excellence, strong Black women who support their families, and Black joy.
