Review: DANIEL J WATTS' THE JAM: ONLY CHILD at Signature Theatre

Signature Theatre's second production in their Signature Features 2021 season, Daniel J Watts THE JAM: ONLY CHILD is written and performed by 2020 Tony Award Nominee Daniel J Watts and is the fifth installment of Watts' The Jam series. The series namesake comes from his great grandmother's method of creating jam, whereupon what she could not use for herself, she would share with other people. It is available to stream in HD on Marquee TV from March 16 through May 7.

Daniel J Watts (Hamilton, TINA: The Tina Turner Musical) gives an emotionally layered performance as he navigates the story of his own upbringing. Watts shares with audiences his anecdotes and lessons learned growing up as an only child with a single mother in the 1980s and 1990s. Watts possesses a very eclectic style of storytelling where he uses his talents in singing, rapping, and tap-dancing to help tell his life story. He uses his own life experiences to open up his conversations about heavier topics such as consent, holding yourself accountable, and life as a black citizen in America. The whole show is set against the notion of therapy, the benefits of psychoanalytic therapy, and the process of cleaning through personal struggles that inhibit everyday life. With the combination of heartfelt stories, powerful dance and colorful underscoring, Watts' manages to make a statement and make us laugh, all in one.

The sound and lighting work symbiotically in this show. Watts is accompanied onstage with DJ Duggz, who created the sound design. Duggz and Watts work well together onstage as Duggz is able to provide much of the atmosphere of the show and provide interludes for story shifts and dance sequences. Lighting Designer Adam Honoré creates the other level of atmosphere, surrounding Watts with a diverse palate of color.

Running Time: 90 Minutes.

Tickets for single streaming are available for purchase for $35 and subscriptions for the full Signature Features 2021 season are available for $200. Tickets and season subscriptions can be purchased on Signature Theatre's website here. The show is available now through May 7 to stream in HD on Marquee TV Once purchased, the show is available for 72 hours after the show has started.

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