by Jeannie Marlin Woods
It is a rare opportunity to see the work of Alice Childress, a highly esteemed Black playwright and social activist whose plays embraced the pain and the passion of the Civil Rights era in America. Childress was a self-educated writer who would go on to be an author of plays and books, an accomplished scholar and educator, and an articulate voice for Blacks and women throughout her long career. The Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York is presenting THE WEDDING BAND in the intimate Harold Iselin Studio at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. through June 14.
THE WEDDING BAND is one of Childress’ best-known works. Ostensibly a love story between a Black woman and white man, it comes with an important subtitle: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White. The theatre has provided a cautionary content advisory for this work: WEDDING BAND includes coarse language; racial slurs; and references to racism, sexual violence, war, fatal illness, violence and death. Depending upon one’s personal sensitivity, that may be a bit extreme, but the play does indeed take a deep dive into issues of racism, women’s rights, interracial relations, lynching, Black soldiers in World War I, and hard scrabble lives.
The story begins in Charleston, S.C. in 1918 where Childress was born only a couple of years earlier. The main characters are a beautiful seamstress named Julia and her friend and lover of ten years, a German baker named Herman. At a time when it was not legal for them to be wed, Julia has continued to move around, trying to find a quiet corner where she can be with Herman. She has rented a room in a neighborhood and dreams of marrying Herman. Instead, she is surrounded by the women (Lula and Mattie) living in the quarters rented out by the arrogant and cunning landlady, Fanny. There are also three children (Mattie’s daughter and two white children she cares for) as well as Lula’s son, Nelson, at leave from the Army. It is not the serene hideaway that Julia is hoping for. When her lover, Herman, appears, he is tolerated but certainly not welcomed. Fissures of prejudice and rancor are quick to appear, and Childress does not hold back in having her characters reveal themselves to their core. When Herman takes ill with the influenza, he brings the devastating pandemic to their door. The characters have to choose between getting him a doctor and having the housing quarantined (and so losing their fragile livelihoods) or waiting until dark to spirit the deathly ill man away.
Director Hettie Barnhill, Resident Director with the company, tells us she chose this work because it deals with what she calls truthful problems that are as relevant to the 1918 period, to the ‘60s when the play was written, as well as the time we are in now. Racism, sexism, and pandemics have not been resolved, and Childress’ activist voice is loud and clear.
This valiant group should be commended for taking on such a a difficult script. The story requires four distinct playing areas on a postage stamp stage. Set Designer David Zwierankin created a visually interesting set that certainly captured the place and time, but the shallow depth of the stage made it hard to navigate and the staging seemed a bit awkward at times. The set and costumes did, however, make for effective visual storytelling. Costumers by Anne Croteau and Sheilah London-Miller chose attire that was well thought out and quite attractive and appropriate to time and character.
The cast includes both seasoned performers and newcomers. Laquisha “Q Diamond” Rucker is a familiar face both onstage and backstage at BTTUNY. She plays Julia, who is the linchpin and provocateur of the drama. This role is an enormous challenge, and Rucker personifies a beautiful woman who has adamantly fought and won her independence. The unfortunate situation where she can never take the name of her beloved pushes her into anger and instigates barrages of painful revelations. Rucker embraced both sides of her character—the elegant, independent woman of color and the fierce warrior voicing the shameful inequities of a society that is blind to her true value.
Matthew Bonacci is an Albany actor, new to BTTUNY, who plays the extremely difficult role of Herman. This role requires the character to be both a romantic gentleman who loves Julia deeply and then who must portray a man at death’s door as he succumbs to deadly influenza. Bonacci brings energy and nuance to the role and especially shines in the moments requiring gentleness and earnestness.
Among the newcomers, mother and daughter Shay and Asha Allen are making their debut and they both brought energy and charm to the roles of Lula and the precocious child, Teeta. Other newbies are Ruby Szahum (as Princess) and Claire Hendricks (Holly), who do a fine job playing the other children cared for by Mattie. Lauren Ogden, who plays Annabelle, the sister of Herman is also new to BTTUNY and brought a gentle gravitas to her part. Jeannine Trimboli debuts in her role as Herman’s mother. Trimboli is an experienced player who has appeared on numerous Berkshire stages, but her performance as an elderly and contemptible Southern (white) woman tends to be one-dimensional—a stereotype of age and rancor.
Frank Wilson turns in a fine performance of the Black soldier, Nelson. He finds nuance in the character who can be a good son, a Romeo, a friend, and a victim of the system (as they all are in one way or another.) Graham Wall (also new) may have the most difficult and disagreeable role of the Bell Man. He is a door-to-door tinker – a white man preying upon the Black community by indebting them and trying to parlay his power into sexual favors.
Camille Dobbs (Mattie) and Regina Wright-Robinson (Fanny) are familiar actors on the BTTUNY stage. Both characters are well-realized, especially Fanny, who comes off as a strong, sometimes arrogant, but also funny woman who has secured her success by being the first Black woman to buy rental property in the town. When she toys with Nelson, trying to lure him into a relationship, she slyly tells him she offers “fun, food, and finance under one roof.” Dobbs is an Albany based actress (also new to the BTTUNY) who works hard to delve into all the aspects of her character and artfully captures the humor in this character.
This observer felt that the pace was a little slow and at times some actors resorted to shouting rather than delving into the emotional moment, but again this is a tough drama. Hopefully these issues will be ironed out as the run continues through June 14th.
The Black Theatre Troupe has bravely taken on a script which rightfully holds a place in the history of the theatre and social activism. The enthusiasm of the audience was unbridled, and this play clearly speaks to the times, whether that time is 1918, 1966, 2026. Take advantage of this unique opportunity.
Credits
Playwright: Alice Childress
Director: Hettie Barnhill
Assistant Director: Rose Biggerstaff
Set Designer: David Zwierankin
Costume Designer: Anne Croteau
Assistant Costume Designer; Hair and Makeup Designer: Sheilah London-Miller
Properties Designer: Tyler Ki-Re West
Lighting Designer: M Pomazal-Flanders
Sound Designer: Chad Reid
Cast: in order of appearance
JULIA AUGUSTINE Laquisha Rucker
TEETA Asha Allen
MATTIE Camille Dobbs
LULA GREEN Shay Allen
FANNY JOHNSON Regina Wright-Robinson
NELSON GREEN Frank Wilson
THE BELL MAN Graham Wall
PRINCESS Ruby Szahun
HOLLY Claire Hendricks
HERMAN Matthew Bonacci
ANNABELLE Lauren Ogden
HERMAN’S MOTHER Jeannine Trimboli
Information
THE WEDDING BAND run June 4 through 14th at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Fridays and at 4:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
For tickets, phone: 518-346-6204
Website: www.blacktheatretroupeupstateny.com
Running time: 2 hours and 40 minutes with one intermission
Theatre: Capital Rep, Harold Iselin Studio
Address: 251 North Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12207
Closing date: June 14