Review: Langston Hughes BLACK NATIVITY at Actors Theatre Of Little Rock

To say that seeing—no--experiencing BLACK NATIVITY was a blessing is an understatement. Actors Theatre of Little Rock took us to Church (literally and figuratively) for this holiday gem. From the genius that is Langston Hughes--This! This right here is the reason for the season, and my friends brought the spirit with them, so if you didn’t get your tickets to see the show (the remainder of the run is sold out), you have missed out on something special! 

 I missed this production last year, so when I heard they were doing an encore presentation, I was ecstatic. I didn’t really know what to expect other than what the title suggested, but it surpassed anything I had envisioned in my head. This ensemble show turns everyone into the star by designating different players for various rolls. They start out assembling into the family kitchen ready to celebrate the holiday and sing about missing someone the most at Christmas. Then, throughout the first Act, they blend the story of the birth of Jesus with their own family struggles. In Act II, the family celebrates and takes turns praising Jesus through song. It was a glorification like no other. 

 Because ATLR performs in the basement of the Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church, the space is very intimate which places the audience and the actors in close proximity. There is nowhere an actor can hide that an audience member won’t be able to see them, so their character portrayals have to be continuous. They have to stay committed to their chosen truth. Well, this production was a showcase for these powerhouse performers. They blew me away! Everyone owned their persona. No matter who you were watching (and the choices were numerous), you were immediately drawn into their individual story, as well as the story of the collective ensemble.  

Though I did love all of it, I want to address a few scenes that really stood out. First, I loved how they had young Spencer Elizabeth Stewart choosing which member was going to play what role. Watching them respond to her was fun, and then watching them transform into nativity characters was amazing. I will say that I did not appreciate the elder men ganging up on buddy Tylen Loring, for whom I already have major starry heart eyes. I was ready to jump out of my seat and defend his honor during “No Good Shepherd,” but when he came back during “He Loves me Still,” I had tears. Another tearful moment came when the matriarch (Valerie Benton) was disheartened and threw herself on the ground. Then it touched me so deeply when her family picked her up off the ground singing “Lean on Me.” It was all so moving!   

As far as singing goes, I’d normally point out a few that really stood out, but every single one of these vocalists showed out! Even the younger actors held their own while hanging with their seasoned counterparts. They all took turns bringing the soul to the gathering, and I was so glad I was here for it! 

Before the show, Co-directors Caelon Colbert and Dariane Lyjoi Mull addressed the audience and talked about the specially made Loblolly ice cream and the need to purchase new seats to go into their space.    

“So during intermission, if you did before hand, we are doing a collaboration with Loblolly ice cream. We're doing an ice cream called ‘Do You See What Ice Cream?’ It’s peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream and fresh pie crust, so please check that out,” Colbert said. 

After Colbert spoke about their upcoming season, which includes shows such as MOUNTAIN TOP, CHICAGO, SPRING AWAKENING, and DREAMGIRLS, Mull mentioned that they are officially using the space at Quapaw Quarter UMC for season two and spoke of their needs for better theatrical seats for their patrons.  

“We are doing a chair drive,” Mull said. “We're trying to replace all of these chairs with something that's a little more comfortable and cushy, and hopefully they will all be the same color.” She went on to say, “We’re hoping to get enough chairs to be able to get 150 chairs in the space. That is not an inexpensive feat. Our goal is to get them donated through donors from our audiences at the show. Our goal is to have at least 15 people purchase a chair each show. If 15 people purchase a chair each show, we are well on our way to our world.”  

I don’t know how many people purchased chairs during the show I was watching, but I know there were at least two bought, because I overheard the people behind me say that they were now the proud owners of two chairs.  

To help out ATLR with their chair drive or to see what is coming up next, visit their website at actorstheatrelr.org.  

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