I have been a big fan of Ms. Morisseau since Skeleton Crew and am eagerly anticipating what is to come from her Signature residency. Early thoughts are appreciated as always!
In 1949, Detroit’s Blackbottom neighborhood is gentrifying. Blue, a troubled trumpeter and the owner of Paradise Club, is torn between remaining in Blackbottom with his loyal lover Pumpkin and leaving behind a traumatic past. But when the arrival of a mysterious woman stirs up tensions, the fate of Paradise Club hangs in the balance. Paradise Blue is the first production of Obie Award-winning playwright Dominique Morisseau’s Signature Residency. Directed by Tony Award-winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson (The Piano Lesson, Jitney), it is a thrilling and timely look at the changes a community endures to find its resilience.
Thanks for bumping this! I had completely forgotten that I promised to report back on this.
I saw the show this past Sunday (as I said I would), and I very much enjoyed it. The acting uniformly excellent, and all the characters are fascinating and sympathetic in their own way. And oh man was Kristlyn Lloyd wasted on that pitiful role in Dear Evan Hansen! I'm glad she's finally in a role that lets her show her acting chops!
At intermission, I admit I found myself doubting the play. I was thinking "it's well-written and they're doing a good job with it, but what is she trying to say with this? what's the point?" If anyone has similar thoughts at intermission, I would encourage you to push on as I did, because the ending is extremely powerful, and put everything into perspective. I won't give away too much, but she essentially gives away the ending at the beginning of the play, but the mystery is HOW we're going to get there. I also just enjoyed the second act a bit more - the first act is a lot of set-up for the second act. I was also impressed that that they were able to tell this haunting story while also finding a lot of humor and fun in it as well.
The play is reminiscent in some ways of August Wilson's style. And I didn't even find out until afterward that it's part of a 3-play cycle of plays called "The Detroit Projects" all of which center on the Black experience in Detroit in different time periods - no doubt an homage to Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle.
I definitely recommend catching this one! IMO it's the best thing Signature has done this season (though I have yet to see Our Lady of 121st)
joined:2/11/16
joined:
2/11/16
Posted: 4/24/18 at 7:20am