Review: MY LORD, WHAT A NIGHT at Ford's Theatre

Can you picture it? Marian Anderson on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in the chill on Easter Sunday 1939, singing "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" and spirituals to a diverse audience of 75,000 after the DAR refused to allow the Black artist to sing in Constitution Hall in segregated Washington. Anderson's concert is an iconic moment of the civil rights movement - many of us have that image etched indelibly in our minds.

That celebrated moment is the conclusion of MY LORD, WHAT A NIGHT by Deborah Brevoort on stage at Ford's Theatre (and available to stream). In the course of the 100 minute play, we learn more of the pressures and indignities, the successes and motivation of Anderson that propelled her to that stage - and we learn these through her friendship and conversations with Albert Einstein.

MY LORD, WHAT A NIGHT is based on true events and the real, longstanding friendship between famed contralto Marian Anderson (portrayed by Felicia Curry) and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein (played by Christopher Bloch). The friendship began in 1937 at the height of their fame and continued until Einstein's death in 1955.

As the play opens, we learn that a successful concert in Princeton, New Jersey, is followed by the indignity of Anderson being denied a hotel room in town because she is Black. Einstein, a music-lover who attended the concert and witnesses the humiliation at the hotel, invites her to stay at his home. Anderson shares that she didn't expect to find such attitudes in Princeton. Einstein, a Jewish scientist on a highly antisemitic campus, cautions her not to confuse wealth and enlightenment. Over tea and a shared love of music and Swiss chocolate, the two discover the foundation of friendship and support.

Ford's Theatre Senior Artistic Advisor and production director Sheldon Epps says, "In MY LORD, WHAT A NIGHT, we meet Marian Anderson and Albert Einstein as humans, not icons, dealing with personal and professional issues that evolve under the pressure of racial and religious prejudice over several years... [They] grapple with shared issues of identity, discrimination, and how to balance their personal wishes with the public face society demands of them."

The cast features some of D.C.'s strongest and most compelling actors - what a delight to see them work so expertly together, pinging off each other's energy and interpretation. Ford's Theatre Associate Artist Felicia Curry centers the play as Marian Anderson. She demonstrates both strength and vulnerability in the role - and wows the audience with her commanding singing voice. Christopher Bloch is a very human Albert Einstein, sharing heart, wisdom, humor and concern. Bloch brings needed lightness and wit to the production, and also retains the gravitas of Einstein that has us all considering the perilous dawn of the atomic age. Michael Russotto as Abraham Flexner, head of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J. that brought Einstein to the U.S., and is gripped with the specter of scandal and loss of funding, is certainly uptight and expedient, but we learn of the personal toll and weight of his compromise. Franchelle Stewart Dorn brings ramrod determination to her portrayal of activist and suffragist Mary Church Terrell but lightens it with a sly and practical humor. Dorn expertly mines the text for surprising opportunities to invite the audience to pause, consider, or laugh.

Key to this production is meeting the characters - particularly Anderson and Einstein - not as larger-than-life idols but as people who are confused, angry and scared. Anderson in particular is unsure whether she wants to take on the mantle of a notable symbol rather than simply living her life as an individual artist pursuing her interest and talent. Felicia Curry takes us through Anderson's two-year arc from being denied the room at Princeton's Nassau Inn to taking her commanding contralto to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Meghan Raham's scenic design is dominated by floor-to-ceiling stacks of books - books that peek from under the lip of the stage, books filled with ideas and history that tower up to the rafters. These volumes take on a life of their own with Max Doolittle's lighting - the tomes glow rich gold at times or an unearthly pale green punctuating changes in opinion or new ideas. The set also places us in the quirky, cluttered world of genius Albert Einstein - with paper piles of current projects and crumpled, discarded ideas - and a secret stash of beloved Swiss chocolate. We have the sense of the small Princeton community in the late 1930s where the press drops by Einstein's home on a regular basis and friends or colleagues know it's best to avoid the journalists and come to the kitchen door. In a period piece with such notable real-life characters, Danna Rosedahl's hair and make-up design augment the work of the actors to provide familiarity and believability to the well-known personalities. Karen Perry's costume design extends our understanding of the individuals with details like sturdy shoes for March Church Terrell, upright grey suits for Abraham Flexner, Einstein's loose suit and lack of socks, or Anderson's fluid dresses of rich color and fabric.

MY LORD, WHAT A NIGHT is a new drama that has strong and compelling themes of identity, prejudice, social justice and a personal call to action. At times it veers close to an earnest "After School Special" but never crosses the line. But some of the most dramatic moments - Anderson's interaction at the Nassau Inn, Einstein's meeting with the Hungarian physicists about the possibility of an atomic bomb - are never witnessed by the audience. We only learn of them through a retrospective conversation among characters on stage. (And there is a lot of conversation to be had.) Local DMV audiences may remember its premiere at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival in Shepherdstown, W.V. in 2019 as part of the National New Play Network. There is added resonance to the production's words echoing throughout the historic and significant Ford's Theatre.

MY LORD, WHAT A NIGHT is a fascinating story of a surprising friendship developing at a critical time in history. We don't see the characters as mythological beings in this production, thanks to the expert cast we are drawn to the approachable - very human - personal stakes, strong bonds and real concerns that compel action.

Running Time: 100 minutes with no intermission.

MY LORD, WHAT A NIGHT by Deborah Brevoort is produced by Ford's Theatre, 511 10th Street NW. The in-person production runs through October 24 with performances Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm. There are 11 am matinees scheduled on October 14 and 21. Additionally, an on-demand, streaming version of the production will be available for purchase October 11 through November 4, 2021. For tickets, accessible performance information, COVID-19 attendance policies, and further information visit the company's website.

MY LORD, WHAT A NIGHT is directed by Sheldon Epps. The production features Scenic Design by Meghan Raham, Costume Design by Karen Perry, Lighting Design by Max Doolittle, Sound Design by John Gromada, Projection Design by Clint Allen and Hair and Make-Up Design by Danna Rosedahl. The production team also includes Production Stage Manager Brandon Prendergast and Assistant Stage Manager Julia Singer.

Photo Credits: Scott Suchman.

To post a comment, you must register and login.