Review: STICK FLY at The Catherine B. Berges Theatre At COCA

Stick Fly is not a play about happy families. Presented by the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, this poignant drama centers on the LeVays, a once close-nit family on the verge of fracturing during a weekend vacation at their home in Martha's Vineyard.

Director Chanel Bragg's outstanding production is ripe with tension from the beginning. At the center of the storm is Joe, the family patriarch who remains coy about the whereabouts of his wife. He also has a rocky relationship with his son Kent (nicknamed Spoon), who after years of searching for his calling, has published his first novel.

Vigilant of their status as the first black family on the island, Joe is a firm father. Despite achieving success in his career, he is emotionally stunted, cold, cruel, and dismissive. Indifferent of Spoon's new career and his life choices in general, Joe, a successful neural surgeon, prefers the companionship of his other son Flip, who reminds Joe of himself.

While harsh to Spoon, Joe is more supportive of Flip. Despite having his father's approval, Flip is concerned that his father will not approve of his girlfriend, Kimber, a white woman who works to improve the lives of inner-city children.

Also visiting that weekend is Flip's fianceé, Taylor, the daughter of a famous writer who prides herself on her independent spirit. An intelligent and passionate entomologist, raised by a single mother, Taylor carries with her the emotional baggage of a tumultuous relationship with her father. When not collecting bug samples from the area, Taylor tries desperately to fit in with Spoon's family. Driven by a need for acceptance, her meeting with the family doesn't go smoothly.

Also on hand for the weekend is Cheryl, the daughter of the family's longtime maid. Strong-willed and with a chip on her shoulder, Cheryl hides a festering resentment towards Taylor, (whom she barely acknowledges, and Joe, who she struggles to speak with privately). Uncomfortable in her new environment, her frequent phone calls indicate that something bigger is happening in her life.

Moments of humor and percolating tensions come to a boil as a friendly game quickly escalates into a bitter fight as competition and alcohol combine with dysfunction to make things ugly. While discussing their lives, careers, and social status, Taylor and Kimber quickly come to blows. Their skirmish carries over to Spoon and Flip, whose sibling rivalry rises to the surface.

With secrets out in the open, the LeVays, who don't do interpersonal communication very well, are forced to reconcile their differences and face dire challenges. This is particularly difficult for Joe, who grows uncomfortable with probing questions about his personal life.

Leaving audiences uneasy from the opening curtain until after its conclusion, Stick Fly features a constant flux of familial warmth, betrayal, loyalty, desire, and disunity. Taken together, these emotions underpin a divided household looking to stand together.

Exploring themes of class, race, love, and generational dynamics through the lens of an African American family, Stick Fly features a first-class cast giving vigorous performances. Likable and loathsome, Ron Himes is electrifying as Joe. The beating heart of the production, he runs warm and cold, underscoring his character's wisdom with and sense of duty. Joining him is Amber Reauchean Williams, who shines in one of this season's most powerful performances.

The onstage chemistry between begrudged brothers Ricardy Fabre (Spoon) and DeShawn Harold Mitchell (Flip) propel the show's momentum as these talented young actors use multiple layers to develop their characters. The ensemble also featured are Bobbi Johnson, whose Cheryl is a force of kinetic energy, and Blair Lewin, whose Kimber provides the drifting family with stable footing.

Based on Lydia Diamond's award-winning play, The Rep's Stick Fly takes the fish out of water premise to new places as it explores the dynamics of fatherhood, sibling rivalry, and acceptance. At times funny and charming, it bravely confronts themes of class, race, and generational dynamics through the eyes of a modern African American family.

Stick Fly runs through March 6th at the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA. For more information, visit www.repstl.org.

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