Review: TOPDOG/UNDERDOG at Actor's Express Honors Tradition with a Fresh Take

Suzan-Lori Parks’ Pulitzer Prize winning classic TOPDOG/UNDERDOG is raw, electric storytelling. With razor-sharp dialogue and hauntingly poetic rhythm, this work dives deep into brotherhood, identity, and survival. When you're lucky enough to see a strong production—and Actor's Express is no exception—the experience is nothing short of mesmerizing. TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, directed by Eric J. Little, is a must-see, must-hear, must-feel.

Actor's Express Artistic director Freddie Ashley says, "One of Parks' trademarks is confronting American history through a contemporary lens. No other playwright I can think is as able to create plays that feel somehow like lightening in a bottle." Ashley nails it. You cannot help but simultaneously connect profound historical dots while feeling what the characters feel.

The Actor's Express cast is magnetic, unforgettable, and utterly human. With a fresh take that honors tradition, Aaron Goodson plays Lincoln while breathing in something entirely new. Their performance is spellbinding and it's no surprise the hypnotic three-card monte pours out of them so easily. Their portrayal is timeless, bone-chilling even, with depth and precision. Lamar K. Cheston's captures Booth using every layer of bravado and wounded pride he can muster with heartbreaking expression. Their portrayal is swaggering one moment, desperate the next—drawing us deep into the character’s hunger for love, validation, and a place in the world.

The TOPDOG/UNDERDOG creative team includes the talented Assistant Director Lauren Alexandra; Scenic Designer Seamus M. Bourne; Costume Designer Jarrod Barnes; Lighting Designer Mary Parker; and Sound Designer Jeremiah Davidson.

Congratulations to another gem from Actor's Express which Ashley aptly describes as "combustible and organic, and it is easy to get swept by the story that feels disturbingly real...it grabs audiences by the shoulders and doesn't let go." 

Photo: Casey Gardner Ford and Saturnblu Productions