Review: Mosaic Theatre's DEAR MAPEL A Compelling, Personal Journey

Any time you can spend with a master storyteller is time well spent; and when the storyteller is Psalmayene 24, you know you're in for a rewarding, though-provoking evening. This time, digging into his past, with all the joys and pain that growing up involves, audiences can look forward to a performance that is by turns dazzling, drop-dead hilarious, but with moments of darkness that remain all too familiar.

Director and Production Designer Natsu Onoda Power has given us a theatre littered (literally) and plastered with written and typed pages-some crumpled and piled up on the stage, some hung out on clotheslines, to be pulled into the action strategically. Psalmayene 24 and his scene partner, the brilliant actor and rhythmic artist JabariDC, begin the action by pulling out a couple leaf-blowers to clear the floor (to the accompaniment of selections from Nick "tha 1da" Hernandez' sound design).

The introductory monologue, steeped in hip-hop, ranges in pace from deliberate and crystal clear to a cascade of syllables, delivered at astonishing speed, in the same spirit with which Charlie Parker and Dizzie Gillespie played their own instruments. A reminder that the human voice is an instrument in its own right, and rap provides Psalmayene 24 with a means of demonstrating his virtuosity.

The narrative thread for "Dear Mapel" is clear enough-an estranged son's letters to his biological father, whom he only sees rarely, and even then not under the best of circumstances. Early letters detail the milestones of adolescence: Psalmayene's first sexual experience; his first encounter with racist taunts directed at him personally; and, later on, his band's attempts to wow the audience at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem on "Amateur Night."

Psalmayene's years living in Washington, D.C., and his time at Howard University, feature prominently-which gives the night a special vibe, as fellow Howard alums in the audience chime in. What makes this such a joyful show is the way we're encouraged to respond vocally, viscerally, and personally, to all the twists and turns of Psalmayene's story.

Another performer who gives "Dear Mapel" an especially thrilling vibe is JabariDC, who steps in sometimes as Psalmayene's scene partner, and who provides rhythmic accompaniment throughout the show on a variety of percussion instruments. His range of styles enables us to track Psalmayene's life journey in a variety of moods, propelling the action forward but also punctuating each plot twist with its own emotional import.

You have one more week to see this latest incarnation of Psalmayene 24's life story; It's compelling, it's alive, it's personal, it's what theatre is truly for.

[Reviewer's Note: On the evening I went to see Mosaic's stellar production of "Dear Mapel," the projection equipment had malfunctioned, so I can't speak to the work of Kelly Coburn, except to say that by the looks of it, Coburn's work will serve as icing on an already well-served cake.]

Publicity Photo courtesy Mosaic Theatre.

Running Time: 90 minutes without Intermission.

Dear Mapel runs through February 13 at the Atlas Performing Arts center, 1333 H Street NE, Washington, D.C. It is also available through streaming, for those who prefer to attend remotely. For tickets, visit http://www.mosaictheater.org/ or call the Atlas box office at 202-399-7993.

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