Review: 3: BLACK GIRL BLUES Enjoys a Limited Run at B Street Theatre

Versatile, talented, and polished. That describes Danielle Moné Truitt, a woman of many faces (three, to be exact) in her one-woman show, 3: Black Girl Blues. When not playing Sergeant Ayanna Bell in “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” Truitt is a mother, philanthropist, and now the creator of this wildly entertaining piece about friendship, deception, and introspection.

Local director and playwright Anthony D’Juan successfully pens the innermost thoughts of three very different women. Despite having grown up together, Keisha, Jill, and Stephanie have taken very different paths. Keisha is an “urban socialite,” which is a nice way of saying that she is a poor woman with loose morals. Jill is a frazzled housewife who is burned out on motherhood and marriage. Stephanie appears to have it all, with a high-powered job and sophisticated lifestyle, but as these women reveal their weaknesses to each other, it’s evident that everything is not as it seems.  

During its limited run back here in Sacramento at the Sofia, I was privileged to witness what I expect will be a continuing sensation, wherever it lands next. Not only does it appeal to Black Girls, 3: Black Girl Blues speaks of the universal experiences of women of all backgrounds. Truitt occupies each character as if she is one of them and, in a sense, she is. They are every woman. Truitt’s Keisha finds her worth through a man, letting herself be used and discarded at the invisible Eric’s whim. By always choosing the lowest common denominator, she ensures her place in a cycle of abuse and poverty. So completely does Truitt become Keisha that I was a little worried the whole piece would be performed in an “urban socialite” vein. My fears were put to rest as, surprisingly, Truitt sheds that persona along with the clothes in the silhouette illuminated between scenes. When she comes back out transformed as bedraggled housewife Jill, D’Juan’s perceptive voice comes into play as Jill tells Stephanie, “You can dream and dream, but you have to follow the path God has laid out,” for Jill isn’t that different from Keisha, after all. They are both stuck in circumstances they can’t see a way out of. When Truitt’s silhouette transforms into Stephanie, it seems like she’s finally emerged from a cocoon. A successful career, expensive accessories, and freedom to do as she chooses to hide a damaged soul whose trauma froze her emotional quotient at the age of fifteen.

D'Juan peppers amusing one-liners throughout the play to break up the heavier aspects of the material. “I was always told I was a little crazy but I’(M) Black, so that’s a given.” Like these women’s challenges, the humor speaks to us all. Just plug in the correct adjective and it works for anyone. I’m pretty sure I’ve uttered, “I was always told I was a little crazy but I’m a Taurus, so that’s a given.” Couple D’Juan’s witty monologues with Truitt’s mesmerizing storytelling and flawless transitions, and it’s a surefire combination for an entertaining and moving piece that has widespread appeal and staying power.

For more information, visit 3BlackGirlBlues.com.

Photo credit: B Street Theatre

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