Review: MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM at TRT is a Must-See Show

"They're going to treat me the way I want them to treat me, no matter how it hurts them."

by Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Start the fall theater season off right. Get your tickets for August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom now at Two River Theater through October 9th. The superb direction of Ruben Santiago-Hudson along with a stellar cast makes it a must-see production. This powerful and entertaining show is part of Wilson's 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle, a series that chronicles the twentieth century African American experience. Set in Chicago in the 1920's, the play is an insightful look at the prejudice of white music producers and how they handled the "Mother of the Blues" Ma Rainey and her black band members.

In Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, band players, Toledo, Slow Drag, Cutler and Levee gather at the studio to record a new album of Ma Rainey's songs. While waiting for Ma to arrive, they practice their music, joke around, tell stories, moralize and disagree. When Ma Rainey finally arrives with her nephew, Sylvester and her special gal friend, Dussie Mae, the white producers Sturdyvant and Irvin learn that she has already had a brush with the local police. Ma Rainey is an assertive, successful woman, determined to take control of her time in the studio and the situation that typically exploits her and the other African-American musicians. And to complicate matters, there is a mounting tension between the older band members and the fiery young trumpet player, Levee who has a troubled past and big dreams for his career.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom features a brilliant cast that brings this captivating story about talent, aspirations, and race relations to life with both humor and drama. They master the quick, clever dialogue and intriguing characters. The company includes Arnetia Walker as Ma Rainey; Brandon J. Dirden as Levee; Harvy Blanks as Slow Drag; Brian D. Coats as Toledo; Chante Adams as Dussie Mae; Michael Cumpsty as Irvin; Bob Mackasek as the Policeman; Marcel Spears as Sylvester; Peter Van Wagner as Sturdyvant and James A. Williams as Cutler.

The Creative Team has done an outstanding job of bringing Ma Rainey's Black Bottom to the Red Bank stage with scenic design by Charlie Corcoran; costume design by Karen Perry; lighting design by Burke Brown and sound design by Rob Kaplowitz. The original music is by Bill Sims Jr. and Kenny Rampton. The fight direction is by Thomas Schall, casting by Heidi Griffith & Kate Murray and the Stage Manager is Laura Wilson.

Bravo to Two River Theater for gifting metro area audiences with an extraordinary production of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom will be onstage at Two River Theater through October 9th. The theater is located at 21 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank, NJ 07701. Ticket prices range from $40 to $70 with discounts available for groups, seniors, and U.S military personnel, their families and veterans. A limited number of $20 tickets are available for every performance. $20 tickets may be partial view. Tickets for patrons under 30 are $20 and include the best available seats at every performance. For more information, call 732.345.1400 and visit www.tworivertheater.org.

Photo Credit: T. Charles Erickson

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