Review: THE DANCE ON WIDOW’S ROW at The Black Rep Will Have You Dying with Laughter

The St Louis Back Rep is entering the final weekend of performances of their laugh-out-loud production of Sam-Art William’s The Dance on Widow’s Row. Word of mouth must be strong with a near capacity crowd turning out for Wednesday evening’s performance.

Widow’s Row, directed by Ron Himes, features an ensemble of Black Rep regulars, including Denise Thimes, A.C. Smith, Velma Austin, Isaiah Di Lorenzo, and Himes (stepping in for J Samuel Davis.) Two actors, Margery Handy and Tiffany Tenille, round out the cast making impressive scene stealing debuts.

When Broadway World sat down with The Black Rep’s Ron Himes in 2021, Himes mentioned Sam-Art Williams as one of his favorite playwrights. At that time, coming out of the Covid pandemic, Himes was directing a moving virtual production of Williams’s Tony and Drama Desk nominated coming of age play Home.

The Black Rep’s history with the works of the Tony and Emmy nominated stage and screen writer include the world premier production of William’s play The Montford Point Marine in 2011. This production of WillIam’s The Dance on Widow’s Row marks the third time The Black Rep has staged the crowd-pleasing macabre comedy.

The Dance on Widow’s Row tells the story of four widowed women who invite the towns most eligible widowed and single men to a cocktail party in the hopes of finding their next husband. The hilarious gathering is part soap opera, part Golden Girls, part Desperate Housewives (note that William’s play pre-dates the nighttime TV soaper by several years), laced with a little bit of Weekend at Bernie’s.

Thimes, Austin, Handy, and Tenille’s catty sharp exchanges are downright amusing with polite insults, left-handed compliments, and faux concern. The not-so-subtle digs give Smith, Himes, and Di Lorenzo plenty of fodder for comical expressions and delivery of Willam’s scripted follow-up quips.

Himes direction wrings dozens of laughs from William’s script. His expertly paced production is rich with broad physical comedy, including his own portrayal of the skittishly nervous Newly Benson. He is comedic gold.

Himes blocks the action on scenic designer Tim Jones’ elegantly appointed set. Jones has created an interior living space befitting of a wealthy widow who has buried two rich husbands. Jones’ set is perfectly illuminated by Sean Savoie’s intentional and perfectly cued lighting design.

Brandin Vaughn continues to impress with thoughtfully designed and perfectly tailored costumes. His actors are both elegantly dressed and playfully flirty. Vaughn’s designs most definitely enhance the black comedy’s levity.

The Dance on Widow’s Row features a charismatic ensemble with infectious energy stemming from playful performances. It’s a fun evening in the theater that provides a lot of laughter.

There are four performances remaining through the weekend in the Edison Theater on the Washington University campus. Visit theblackrep.org for more information.