Review: Skylight's Jubilant CROWNS 'Gets the Praise On' for Hat Queens

Hat Queens--the women in Skylight Music Theatre's Crowns: A Gospel Musical call themselves Hat Queens--,and honor women who proudly wear a magnificent hat on Sunday to display their unique being and personality. Award-winning actress and playwright Regina Taylor adapted the book "Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats" by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry for the stage to produce a non-linear, almost poetic string of joyful songs and stories to bring these African American women and traditions to life.that fills the Cabot Theatre with exuberant music.

For African American women throughout history, either when confined to slavery or later subjected to prejudice and racism where "whites only' lifestyles prevailed, dressing in glorious clothes on Sundays required a new dress and a marvelous hat to express themselves---what they describe as "hatitude," which continues today.. As most women realize, garments and accessories become an armour for protection from what the world throws at them---so what they wear might stabilize their trials and reward successes in life. Equally in this production, the women believe "hats are just as likely to conceal as reveal," parts of their personal stories while "under the hats lie a lot of joys and sorrows."

The lives Crowns reflect on include five women from various ages and walks in life-including Yolanda, a New York teenager sent to her relative Mother Shaw living in South Carolina after her brother was murdered on the Brooklyn streets. Mabel, Wanda, Velma and Jeanette connect to Mother Shaw's wise influence when they dance and sing their preference and stories regarding the hats in their particular lives, a way for Yolanda to discover her identity and legacy.

Everyone on stage "gets their praise on" in gospel numbers recreating the Sunday morning service: "Marching to Zion," "Mary Don't You Weep," "His Eye is On the Sparrow," or the more familiar "I've Got Peace Like a River" and "When the Saints Go Marching In." Each actor earns their solo on stage--Cynthia Cobb (Mother Shaw), Una Van Duval (Mabel), Raven Dockery (Velma), Tasha McCoy (Wanda) and Malkia Stampley (Jeanette), with the gospel spirit filling the theater. Directed by Shari Williams Pannell, this production sings in praise to women everywhere, a prime goal of Artistic Director Viswa Subbaraman's "Strong Women" season, especially when Dockery's "Sparrow," resonates in the Cabot Theatre or as Cobb's "Jumping the Broom," recreates a women's happy life from youthful marriage to the death of a spouse in another number.

Ashley Levell's Yolanda, the young Brooklyn women in trouble, sings 'Where I Belong," that opens the performance with a rap tune, while the capable, handsome Ron Lee represents the men---minister, husband, father, brother--so the women may weave their tales of what hats meant throughout their lives to uplift the audience. Brilliantly colored in costumes designed by Barry W. Link, the actors don a veritable cultural kaleidoscope of costumes that dazzle the eyes when the women change head scarves and hats during the 140 minutes, no intermission performance.

Scenic Designer Ruthmarie Tenorio provides a multilevel set, steps and platforms, stacked with various hat boxes easily transformed to a church sanctuary, funeral home or a house. Also on set, Music Director Chaz'man Williams Ali conducts from a keyboard alongside bass player Tom McGirr and percussionist Michael Lorenz when viewed on stage right, which complements the singers with ample accompaniment when playing the eclectic arrangements of music, from the blues to hymns, jazz to rap.

While outer adornments to the head or body can either distract from or display honor to a person or tradition, these hats portray women as majestic queens worthy of amazing crowns for whatever stage of life: births, birthdays, marriages and deaths. While women of any colored skin were often considered less valuable than their male counterparts, a special hat 'crowned' the wearer's belief in themselves, an obvious and flirtatious symbol to all who surrounded them, which Illustrated they and all women were indeed worthy. The ability to purchase just one fanciful or fashionable hat required hard work and sacrifice, and the "crown" announced an individuality or a special occasion to be treasured.

In this jubilant tribute to women and the hats they wear, Skylight honors African American women and the contributions they made throughout history, their dedicated, fulfilling while perhaps unsung lives lived well to make the world a better place, especially for the future, in this story the young Yolanda's future. In doing so, all women who struggle to express their feminine selves will appreciate these Skylight Hat Queens, and say to themselves, "When I've done the best I can, I want my crown."

After singing touches the soul at the Skylight, let every women, of every color, and the men who stand beside them, celebrate these womens' lives portrayed as beautiful Hat Queens adorned with wondrous crowns.

Skylight Music Theatre presents Crowns: A Gospel Musical in the Cabot Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center through March 26. For special events, performance schedule and tickets, please call: 414.291.7800 or www.skylightmusictheatre.org.

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