Review: THE AMEN CORNER at Shakespeare Theater Company Returns with Fervor to Sidney Harman Hall

Returning to Shakespeare Theatre Company for a limited pre-season engagement after its original run was cut short in March 2020, Whitney White's stunning production of James Baldwin's The Amen Corner offers a resounding "welcome home" to theater lovers set hopelessly adrift over the past eighteen months.

Set in the 1950's, The Amen Corner centers on Sister Margaret Alexander, the pious and steadfast pastor of a small but mighty community church in Harlem. Sister Margaret, played by the enthralling Mia Ellis, is firm and righteous in her teachings, but her absolutist ways--and position in the church--are suddenly tested by the return of her estranged husband Luke (Chiké Johnson). This return and the secrets it unearths cement her son David's (Antonio Michael Woodard) rejection of the godly path set for him by Margaret, calling into question Margaret's competence as a preacher. Ellis's artful portrayal presents a careful, poised Sister Margaret desperately trying to maintain her balance as the rug, then the foundation, and then the very earth below are pulled out from under her feet.

Ellis's Margaret finds her match with Chiké Johnson as Luke, who commands the stage even as he lays dying for the majority of the play. The most compelling scenes of the night were undoubtedly between Ellis and Johnson, who give the play's turbulent yet tender love story its full due, particularly in the show's devastating final act (which, for the record, brought me to tears).

And while these two may be the production's primary figures, there is certainly no lack of talent to be found in the rest of the cast. Chief among them is the newcomer to the cast, Roz White as Odessa, a steady voice of reason and Sister Margaret's most loyal defender against those who wish to see her brought down.

Though seemingly beloved by her congregation at first, Margaret's struggle between her obligations as preacher and the sudden demands of her personal life provide the perfect opportunity for long-discontented community members to rise up against her. Leading this charge are church elders Sister and Brother Boxer, played by Deidra LaWan Starnes and Phil McGlaston, respectively. The Boxers feel personally targeted by Margaret's rigid teachings and are indignant about being undermined by a woman who they believe has forgotten her duties as a wife and mother in favor of a place at the pulpit.

The Boxers' key companion in their crusade against Margaret is Sister Moore, usurper triumphant, played by E. Faye Butler with a verve and sense of humor that can't help but endear you to an otherwise deeply unlikeable character. Butler's impassioned performance in the final act, intensified further by thunder, lightning, and a resounding chorus, is truly something to behold.

On that note, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the scenic design and musical elements that bring an immersive component to an already mesmerizing production. The set, designed by Daniel Soule, is a clever interpretation of Baldwin's guidance. Soule presents a domestic scene that surrounds Margaret's church--or, depending on your interpretation, a place of worship that permeates Margaret's home--with a pulpit that dwarfs its surroundings, all set against a climbing brick cityscape, a constant reminder of the outside world and its many threats.

Often filling this stage, and spilling out into the audience, are the extraordinary voices of the other members of the congregation (namely, Jade Jones, Shayla Simmons, and Nia-Aiyana Meeks), whose soulful hymns bring an operatic depth of emotion to the entire play. Every voice featured in this cast, and I mean every voice, is stellar, thanks in no small part to Kim James Bey, Voice and Dialect Coach.

Successfully doing justice to a piece written by such a literary giant as James Baldwin (especially one that's been shamefully forgotten in favor of his more popular novels), while also adding a distinct personal flair, is no small feat. Director Whitney White deserves all the praise for this production of The Amen Corner.

The Amen Corner's reappearance on stage now feels sharp and poignant, an aptly chosen play to mark the passage of (or, perhaps, to bookend) all the events of the last eighteen months. Audiences will feel a unique closeness to the show's central tensions, particularly Margaret's desperation to protect her child from the dangers he'll face as a young Black man out in the world, and her struggle to manage the expectations placed upon her in her roles as an unerring spiritual leader and as a wife and mother. In this sense, The Amen Corner does more than just pick back up where it left off in March 2020. It is the perfect show to welcome audiences back to the theater.

The Amen Corner is only at Shakespeare Theater Company's Sidney Harman Hall until September 26th. Don't miss your chance to see it.

For tickets, click here.

Photo Credit: Scott Suchman

To post a comment, you must register and login.