Paradise Blue at Cannon Street Arts Center

Now that the word is out and spreading, Art Forms & Theatre Concepts, Inc.’s production of “Paradise Blue” by Dominique Morisseau and directed by Art Gilliard promises to be a delicious production.

This drama unravels a story about a Detroit neighborhood called Black Bottom, at the heart of a club district called Paradise Valley, where a trumpeter called Blue, played by E. Domonique Henry runs a joint they called Paradise, where he fronts a quartet whose sidemen include a drummer called P-Sam played by Tre Davis, and a pianist called Corn played by Xavier Jacques. The bassist has quit, so the show opens with that discussion as we also meet Pumpkin played by Saralyn Ortiz, caretaker of Paradise Club and Blue’s girlfriend. Finally, we are introduced to Silver, played by Stella Williams a mysterious, sexy, charming, spicy, gritty, and raw in a way that men find irresistible woman. She has a mean walk, represses nothing; she is a black widow (in both senses of the phrase) who shows up at the club one day in 1949 oozing erotic charisma. Born in Louisiana, Silver arrives with every noir mystery woman’s attendant cliché: a lubricious walk, a wad of cash in the bosom of her complicated lingerie, a languorous way of lighting cigarettes — and a gun. There is adult language and a gun sound in the production.

This delightful dramatic comedy is overly exciting. This powerful and exciting story has lots of twists and turns that will have you chuckling aloud as the stories evolve.

The production takes place as Blue is being made an offer that affects the whole community. Through bright, funny dialogue and fast-paced vignettes, Director Art Gilliard brings playwright Dominique Morisseau’s complicated characters to vibrant life, while each is searching for love, success, and identity, as they each bull-headedly pursue their personal goals.

The production will be held at the Cannon Street Arts Center, 134 Cannon Street in downtown Charleston. Performance dates are:

Thursday, September 28th 7:00

Friday, September 29th 7:00

Saturday, September 30th 2:00

Sunday, October 1st 4:00

Thursday, October 5th 7:00

Friday, October 6th 7:00

Saturday, October 7th 2:00

Sunday, October 8th 4:00

Produced by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH