Review: GEORGE C WOLFE'S “THE COLORED MUSEUM” ON EXHIBIT at American Stage

"You can't stop history, you can't stop time..."

"I have no history, I have no past..."

"It don't matter where you came from, as long as you

end up in the right place..."

The Colored Museum a play with music was written by George C. Wolfe. The play premiered at the Crossroads Theatre in 1986 and was directed by L. Kenneth Richardson.

Wolfe's work is the focus of 11 individual sketches or "exhibits" and through these revues, recounts satirical and prominent themes and people throughout African-American History and Culture.

As the second show in their 2022/2023 "This is America" Season, American Stage planned to stage this show as a way to redefine our ideas of what it means to be African American in Contemporary America. George C. Wolfe's review show was the winner of the 1988 NAACP Image Award.

Made up of 11 sketches, Git on Board, Cooking' with Aunt Ethel, The Photo Session, Soldier with a Secret, The Gospel According to Miss Roj, The Hairpiece, The Last Mama-on-the-Couch Play, Symbiosis, Lala's Opening, Permutations, and The Party. 6 performers double as multiple parts, portraying different roles throughout the evening.

In Git on Board, Miss Pat, a flight attendant, welcomes the audience on board the "Celebrity Slaveship," the sketch itself explores African American history from the time of slavery to the rise in prominence of the Basketball star.

In Cooking with Aunt Ethel, we hear a recipe told through song about how to "Bake Yourself a Batch of Negroes."

The Photo Session deals with the playwrights' critiques of Ebony Magazine.

During Soldier with a Secret, we see a Soldier spare his friends an unbearable future by killing them before they get to see it happen.

In The Gospel According to Miss Roj, we meet a transgendered woman, who beneath her attire sees visions of "trashed/debased" Race while working in a Gay Nightclub.

In The Hairpiece, we meet a woman getting ready for a date, when her two wigs come to life. They debate the identity crisis she has faced over the years.

In The Last Mama-on-the-Couch Play, we see different variations of African American Dramas from film and stage throughout history. Most notable nods are to A Raisin in the Sun, and For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf.

In Symbiosis, we meet a man trying to move on with his life, and leave his past, or younger self behind him.

In Lala's Opening, we meet a singer haunted by her childhood self.

In Permutations, we have a young woman explaining about a time she was raped, and therefore laid an egg filled with babies.

Finally, in The Party, we meet Topsy Washington, and while a fantasy party is created with Nat Turner , Eartha Kitt, Aunt Jemima, and Angela Davis, all logic and limitations are off the table in this fantasy.

Scenic Design by Harlan Penn was a rendering of a stark white gallery, with revolving walls and doors that opened to reveal the next sketch. George C. Wolfe has said in regard to his work, "...the Legacy of the past must both be embraced and overcome."

The talented cast had a lot to work with in this piece of Satirical Theatre. A myriad of props and costumes to contend with, as well as all the different characters, would make even the most seasoned of performer's sweat a little, even if just slightly.

Now I will say pieces such as this are not for everyone, Satirical Theatre has its audience, but the question remains is that audience the ones buying tickets for the show?

I commend American Stage for taking a risk and producing a work such as this, a hard sell to many, even in our present worldview. Many companies in the area are evolving their seasons based on past productions that are deemed "cash-cows," which in a market that is ever-changing could be viewed as a smart move. I for one agree with risky takes, however, are the risks paying off? Are the decisions being made formidable, and proving to be worthwhile for the foreseeable future?. Are you able to balance out the risks?

In an industry that is changing daily due to many different factors, wouldn't you tend to lean on sustainability? As I left American Stage the other night, I was left with a lot of head-scratching conundrums that plagued my evening, and for much of my drive home.

The Performer's did a wonderful job, with the material they were given, and I could tell the immense amount of work that was put into the performance, both on a performer and technical aspect. But I wonder are audience's making their way to the Theatre to see the work of these incredible artists? I looked around the theatre the night of the show, and noticed an auditorium only half full. At half capacity, where does sustainability come into play? Does it come into play when choosing works to bring an audience through the door, or do we find ourselves charting a course of changing a narrative, or redefining our brand?

Again Satirical Theatre has a tendency to be lost on some, maybe this piece was lost on me. I found some misgivings in a lot of moments, and dialogue that unfortunately in this current climate, and worldview we find ourselves a part of, did not age well.

The cast from top to bottom, including Jemier Jenkins, Alicia Thomas, Yewande Odetoyinbo, Brandon Burditt, Jermaine Robinson Jr., Malike Faye, Andresia Mosley, and Clay Christopher, all deserve accolades for the outstanding work, and not an easy task to mount.

Director Keith Arthur Bolden steered the ship with a sharp hand, and delivered some exceptional staged moments. From a technical standpoint, Scenic Design by Harlan Penn is a wonder to the eye. Beautifully rendered. Lighting Design by McKenna Ebert, and Sound Design by Tyrese Pope helped bring the world together seamlessly.

Again I applaud the Cast, Crew, Designers, and Directors whom helped bring this show to the stage. The work is there, I just wonder if it's a matter of getting butts in the seats, or providing programming that drives audiences through the door. Sure, sparking conversation, changing the conversation, and producing exceptional art grounded in the human spirit is a fantastic plight, and we want to be along for that journey. However, from where I sat the other night, I'm left wondering if a season about "America," would also be about listening to the people, and those who come in the door.

I look forward to the rest of the 2022/2023 "This is America" season as American Stage presents Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Terrence McNally's Ragtime: the Musical , Ayad Akhtar's Disgraced, and Carmen Rivera's La Gringa. You can find out more about the future shows, and purchase tickets to The Colored Museum by visiting www.americanstage.org.

PHOTO CREDIT: American Stage

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