BWW Reviews: RASHEEDA SPEAKING is Worthy of Discussion

Playwright Joel Drake Johnson, who is white, was inspired to write Rasheeda Speaking after an unfriendly encounter with a hospital receptionist, a black woman. His letter of complaint led to the woman being fired and Johnson, feeling guilty, wondered if he would have had a different reaction if she were white.

He began writing a play from his own white male perspective, but after being reminded of the shortage of American plays with leading roles for black women, decided to change the central character.

As a play about racial communication, Rasheeda Speaking is significant for dealing with a subject that is not often found in high-profile New York productions, so any awkward or didactic moments can be forgiven for the daringness of the piece. Like David Mamet's Oleanna, we only see the conflicting characters together in their work environment, so the motives behind their words and actions are open to interpretation. And like Oleanna, your interpretation of what is happening is likely to be informed by your own experiences.

Set designer Allen Moyer does an excellent job creating a realistic reception area for the office of Dr. Williams. The young doctor, who is white, is assisted by administrators Ileen (also white), who has been with him for eight years, and relative newcomer Jaclyn, who is black.

Jaclyn has been out sick and before she arrives for her first day back, the doctor tells Ileen he's promoting her to supervisor of the two-person administrative team and that he would like her to take detailed notes about her colleague's work performance. Williams isn't happy with what he perceives as Jaclyn's negative attitude and the fact that she never make's eye contact with him. He'd like to fire her, but needs proof of her inadequacy at the job because he fears the repercussions if he lets go his only black employee.

Darren Goldstein plays the doctor with enough pomposity for his complaints to appear suspect and racially motivated, but when Tonya Pinkins arrives as Jaclyn, it turns out that she does have a bit of a negative attitude and can be quite condescending to both Ileen and to incoming patients.

Dianne Wiest is soft-spoken and quite frazzled as Ileen, who is reluctantly put in the position of having to judge the work of a woman she considers to be her friend. Jaclyn quickly sizes up what's going on and that's when the tension starts building to a climax.

Further fuel is supplied by the brief appearances of Patricia Conolly, as a kindly old patient (white), who's attitude toward black people was probably considered accepting and respectful in her younger days but whose way of expressing herself now would seem objectionable to many.

Are Jaclyn's actions truly inappropriate or is that just the opinion of the white people who might judge her differently if she was their color? Or is Jaclyn, aware of the issues that will come up if she gets fired, taking advantage of the situation? Is her "attitude" simply a defense she's built to combat the everyday racism she encounters? Does Ileen have racist attitudes she's not aware of or is Jaclyn playing off her co-worker's fear of being considered racist.

As guided by first-time director Cynthia Nixon, Pinkins and Wiest are both superb in playing out the subtleties of this complicated conflict, with Jaclyn always seeming two steps ahead of the situation and Ileen helplessly reacting on impulse.

The meaning of the title is revealed in a monologue delivered by Pinkins with stern defiance protecting a wounded heart. It's the best written moment of the play and a truly memorable piece of acting.

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