BWW Reviews: THE BLOOD QUILT at Arena Stage - It's Mesmerizing, Mysterious, and Memorable

It has certainly been an amazing couple of weeks for playwrights of color in the Baltimore/Washington area. At Rep Stage, there is the powerful SUNSET BABY by Dominique Morisseu that deals with the Black Power movement and its affect on family, the World Premiere of MARLEY by Center Stage Artistic Director Kwami Kwei-Armah, a musical about the great musician and composer Bob Marley, and now comes another World Premiere by Katori Hall, THE BLOOD QUILT. Hall was a member of the Arena Stage inaugural American Voices New Play Institute resident playwright and has been working on her play along with Director Kamilah Forbes at Arena Stage where her Olivier Award-winning play THE MOUNTAINTOP began its incantation.

There is so much covered in this play which deals with four half-sisters (they all have different fathers) who make their annual journey to an island off the coast of Georgia to visit their ancestral home three weeks after the death of their mother and to continue the tradition of making a quilt together. While together, they learn for the first time their mother neglected to pay $256,000 in property taxes and they face the unexpected problem of attempting to pay this amount to keep the home in the family or to reap the benefits of selling it.

Hall based the fictitious Kwemera Island on Sapelo Island which has maintained the historic Geechee/Gullah traditions in large part due to the fact that the island population has no bridge to the mainland. The sisters are aware of plans to build a bridge to Kwemera which would likely add tremendously to the value of their home.

The playwright admits in the program that quilting has been a focal part of her own family. She took quilting lessons in L.A. and spent a few weeks with her own grandmother learning the techniques.

The Kreeger Theater stage is filled to the brim with a wonderful set by Michael Carnahan. We see the color burnt orange everywhere. There is a old lived in love seat, two chairs, an "old" kitchen with a refrigerator and sink, a telephone on the wall, wooden shutters in need of repair, a bedroom stage left, another bedroom above it, a fishing pier and dock stage right through a screen door, and a pool of salt water used by family members to wet their feet.

Director Kamilah Forbes has assembled a talented cast and allows them to strut their stuff. The ensemble is a joy to watch.

We first encounter two sisters, Clementine (Tonye Patano), the oldest of the sisters who has lived in the island home with their mother, and Gio (Caroline Clay), a Mississippi policeman who smokes weed, drinks beer endlessly, and is the family clown. But don't get on her wrong side.

Arriving next via the ferry is Cassan (Nikiya Mathis), a nurse in scrubs along with her fifteen-year old daughter Zambia ( Afi Bijou) who is independently becoming a Muslim, wears a hijab, and speaks in internet lingo (lol, etc.).

The final piece of the puzzle then arrives, sister Amber (Meeya Davis) who looks out of place in her expensive outfit and flowing wig. Amber is a well-off entertainment lawyer.

It becomes clear these siblings rarely see each other except during the annual trek to their island home once a year to make a quilt with their mother. The quilts are all over the home. They don't seem to have much in common.

The sisters don't understand why Amber was unable to attend their mother's funeral. Her excuse that she was in London and unable to catch a flight does not ring true to the family.

And when Amber brings the news that their mother related to her that she had a will hidden in the home and begins to read what the mother has decided to do with her estate, a typical family war ensues.

The sisters, however, know their mother would want them to complete the quilt in her memory. In a riveting scene at the end of the play, the quilt is completed. It reminded me of that mystical scene in August Wilson's THE PIANO LESSON.

Do not get the impression that THE BLOOD QUILT is just a serious drama. There is tons of levity and laughter among the sisters. You'll hear mention of the television show "Scandal", references to "Earth, Wind and Fire", and which is better, Verizon or T-Mobil.

There is much music in the play thanks to Toshi Regon who is both composer and vocal consultant. I can envision THE BLOOD QUILT as a possible musical.

The appropriate costumes are by Dede Ayite, great sound by Timothy M. Thompson, superb lighting by Michael Gilliam.

The program has a special thank you to Paul Wahler of Theatrical Pools for the "water".

It is also of note that THE BLOOD QUILT features Black women as the actors, director, choreographer (Camille A. Brown), and musical composer. This does not happen often.

Playwright Hall has summarized her work this way. "I just want everyone to see themselves in these sisters because it really is about family, it's about coming together in times of need, and trying to figure out how to survive in a world that is constantly shifting. I think we all can see that we are part of that bigger American story, whether we're white, black, or green."

I recommend you view the wonderful display of quilts outside the walls of the Kreeger loaned to Arena Stage by Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither in celebration of the world premiere of THE BLOOD QUILT. You can also see Dr. Gaither's Quilts at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore through June 6, 2015 and at the permanent collections of Baltimore's Reginald F. Lewis Museum.

Next up at the Arena Stage could be one of the most anticipated events of the summer, another World Premiere, a musical, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, directed by Michael Grief, starring Ben Platt, with book by Steven Levenson, and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Tony nominees for A CHRISTMAS STORY). It runs July 10 to August 23, 1015.

THE BLOOD QUILT runs until June 7, 2015. For tickets, call 202-488-3300 or visit www.arenastage.org.

cgshubow@broadwayworld.com

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