Review: CHICKEN AND BISCUITS at The Black Rep is A Funny Look at a Dysfunctional Family Gathering to Bury a Loved One

The 2025 St. Louis Theater season has opened with the regional premiere of Douglas Lyons' play CHICKEN AND BISCUITS at The Black Rep. Lyons is a playwright, television writer, actor, and composer. His play, CHICKEN AND BISCUITS, transferred to Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theatre in the fall of 2021 following its premiere at Queens Theatre in 2020. The Broadway production starred Norm Lewis and Michael Urie. It was reported that the play’s planned four-month run was cut short due to challenges stemming from the Covid pandemic. 

CHICKEN AND BISCUITS is a dysfunctional family comedy-drama that is set in a New Haven, Connecticut church for the funeral of Bernard Jenkins, the family patriarch. Jenkins’ two daughters and their families have joined to celebrate and pay tribute to their father’s life. The church pastor and Jenkin’s eldest daughter’s husband, Reginal Mabry (A.C. Smith) attempts to stifle the family’s bickering before, during, and after the funeral services. He fails miserably, as the family’s baggage is unpacked, and secrets are exposed in some laugh out loud moments.  

Ron Himes vibrant direction elicits energetic comedic performances from his capable cast. His lively and often frenetic blocking gives the actors plenty of chances to lean into physical comedy and heighten the hilarity of Lyon’s script. Himes’ blocking is particularly amusing when the Holy Spirit moves the family during the funeral services, with some awkwardly laughable movement from Jacob Schmidt in a strong comedic performance as the only Caucasian and non-Christian at the services.  

Denise Thimes is superbly stoic as the mettlesome matriarch Baneatta Mabry. Her expressive acting, eyerolls, smirks, glances, and gestures are subtly comedic and impeccably timed. She gives way to Paulette Dawn’s overt physical comedy as her younger sister, Beverly Jenkins, who thinks appropriate funeral attire includes a plunging neckline to expose canyon-like cleavage. Dawn’s physicality and hysterical portrayal is the perfect juxtaposition to Thimes’ reserved and respectful Baneatta. Thier chemistry as the dueling siblings spawns many laughs. 

A.C. Smith’s droll pastor and husband delivers a laughable sermon and literally ‘grabs’ one of the biggest laughs of the play. His performance is mostly playing the straight man to facilitate Thimes and Dawn’s comedic turns.  

The outstanding Cameron Jamarr Davis is the Mabry’s youngest child who brings his unwelcome boyfriend Logan Leibowitz (Jacob Schmidt) to the family funeral. Davis’ superb and reserved performance enables Schmidt to garner hearty laughs. Schmidt’s Logan is a nerdy, fish out of water Jew. Schmidt’s character is filled with neuroses. His only want is for his significant other to defend their relationship to his unapproving mother. Davis and Schmidt work marvelously together to create a dynamic comedic duo.  

Alex Jay shines as the Mabry’s eldest child who shares lovely memories of the grandfather the family calls B. She charms as she reminisces about the dances she shared with her grandfather. Kaylyn McKoy is a teenage cousin with a penchant for finding trouble and an unknown relative (Delisa Richardson) turns up as a surprise eulogist to drop a few bombs during the services.  

Tim Jones’ versatile set design allows for quick set changes and uses the entire depth of the stage. Andre Herrington’s costume designs are terrific, especially the elegant black funeral dress and striking hat for Baneatta, the revealing dress with sequined jacket for Beverly, and the nerdy tailored jacket, shirt, bow tie combination for Logan. Kareem Deanes’ sound design was present in organ music playing just beneath the eulogists to create a somber funereal mood.  

Lyons' CHICKEN AND BISCUITS is funny family dramedy that shows how love, loss, and grief can unite a family. The Black Rep’s production is packed with plenty of laughs and a bit of drama. Himes’ fine direction and the cast’s spirited performances create a relatable family who love one another despite their differences. 

The Black Rep presents CHICKEN AND BISCUITS in the Edison Theater on the Washington University Campus through January 26, 2025. Click the link below to purchase tickets.  

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