Review: THE BLUEST EYE at The Ensemble Theatre

THE BLUEST EYE is Nobel and Pulitzer Prize–winner Toni Morrison’s first novel, written in 1970 and adapted for the stage by playwright Lydia Diamond in 2005. Centering on young Pecola Breedlove, whose longing for blue eyes becomes a painful measure of how beauty, worth, and visibility are defined for her, the production frames her story through memory and shared observation.

The stage adaptation of THE BLUEST EYE distills the novel to its emotional core, translating its devastating themes into intimate and affecting theatre. Pecola’s story is framed not as an isolated tragedy, but as the cumulative result of neglect and deeply ingrained values within her community. By leaning into storytelling through narration, the production allows the audience to fill in the emotional gaps of what the characters are feeling and thinking, without overstatement. The immediacy of the performances gives the story a directness that lingers, leaving the audience with a deep sadness and a quiet invitation to consider how easily harm can take hold when compassion is withheld.

As usual, the production quality is high. The set evokes both a specific and general sense of 1940s Ohio. Set designer Winifred Sowell provides multiple areas for the action to unfold, each serving as a distinct location for the story, including flashback scenes set in Kentucky and the deeper South. The story takes place over the course of a year, which is executed beautifully through costumes by Krystal Uchem, particularly in tracking the growth and changes of sisters Claudia and Frieda. Lighting and sound design by Kris Phelps and Adrian Washington blend seamlessly, creating a wide range of environments. All production elements work together effectively to establish time, place, and mood.

The three actresses portraying Claudia, Frieda, and Pecola share a natural chemistry that endears you to them from the start, and that bond only deepens as the play continues. Claudia (Caprice Carter), who carries much of the narration, is funny, serious, and deeply likable. Her sister Frieda (Estèe Burks) is equally strong as co-narrator and partner in crime. Pecola, played by Kiya Green, is both endearing and haunting. Her earnestness is compelling as she moves through emotional highs and lows with precision, maintaining a fragile sense of optimism that contrasts poignantly with what she wants and what the world withholds from her.

Kory Laquess Pullam, who plays Cholly, is impressive in both his physicality and his ability to shift between enamored youth and the horrifying acts he ultimately commits. While his actions are inexcusable, the performance allows us to understand how his own unexamined trauma has shaped him, even as he begins to piece it together over the course of the play.

The rest of the cast takes on multiple roles, with several standouts. Brittny Bush is particularly effective as both Pecola’s mother, Pauline Breedlove, and one of the three familiar “aunties” who provide exposition through town gossip. Her voice is rich and soulful during two a cappella songs that ground those moments emotionally. The other aunties are played by Rita L. Hughes, who also portrays Frieda and Claudia’s mother, and Alayna Sylvester, who takes on two very specific roles, both pivotal to establishing the tone and themes of the piece. Timothy Eric is memorable as Soaphead Church, the eerie yet oddly inviting “fortune teller” whose expository monologues culminate in Pecola’s heartbreaking visit. His performance is both entertaining and unsettling.

There are a couple of elements that I wish had been handled differently, mainly because they affected the pacing for me. With so many characters acting as narrators, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between narration and enacted scenes, occasionally both are happening at once. While this is clearly a deliberate choice by the playwright, and becomes easier to follow as the show progresses, it initially made full engagement more challenging. Additionally, key plot points rely on flashbacks that are not presented in chronological order, requiring the audience to work harder to piece together the timeline.

Those small issues aside, Toni Morrison has given the playwright a wealth of emotion and complexity to draw from, and Ensemble Artistic Director Eileen J. Morris makes thoughtful use of that material in her direction. This production of THE BLUEST EYE is moving, carefully crafted, and emotionally resonant, and asks its audience not only to witness Pecola’s story, but to reflect on the systems and silences that allow it to happen.