A Sampler Candy Box of
What it is Like Growing Up Black and Gay
By Lauren Yarger
Vignettes drawing on playwright Robert O’Hara’s experiences growing up gay and black fuse together in Bootycandy, a sometimes humorous, sometimes raw production getting an Off-Broadway run at Playwrights Horizons in New York.
By Lauren Yarger
Vignettes drawing on playwright Robert O’Hara’s experiences growing up gay and black fuse together in Bootycandy, a sometimes humorous, sometimes raw production getting an Off-Broadway run at Playwrights Horizons in New York.
Sutter (Phillip James
Brannon) is on an outrageous odyssey through his childhood home, his church,
dive bars, motel rooms and a nursing home (all getting a spin on the revolving
set designed by Clint Ramos, who also designs the costumes) The journey results
in laughter, pain and a fresh script that holds our attention despite its
difficult content.
O’Hara, who won the NAACP Best Director Award for
his work on Eclipsed by Danai Gurira,
directs a strongly talented ensemble cast -- Jessica Frances Dukes, Jesse
Pennington, Benja Kay Thomas and Lance Coadie Williams – who portray numerous
characters in Sutter’s life.
Dukes and Thomas shine as Sutter’s mother at
different stages of his live. Time doesn’t change their inability to understand
his interest in performing in musicals, dressing oddly to honor his idol
Michael Jackson, or attracting the attention of men. His mom really isn’t at
ease fielding questions about his private parts, which she calls his
bootycandy. His stepfather (Williams) seems oblivious, hiding behind his
newspaper, barely giving the young man a glance while suggesting that he take
up sports.
His church experience also is odd, with a charismatic
preacher (Williams in an energy-filled monologue) coming out in the middle of a
sermon – literally in a silver, sequined gown and heels. Neighborhood women aren’t
exactly great models either (Thomas and Dukes are a hoot in a Jekyl-and-Hyde, stereotypical
phone call conversation among four women).
Sutter’s quest for love and belonging leads him to
a seedy bar where he and a companion decide to inflict some pain and
humiliation on a white guy (Pennington) looking for love in all the wrong
places. The detour into rather disturbing, serious drama is quickly offset –
and quite dramatically – by a break in the script, complete with voice over from
the stage manager (sound design by Lindsay Jones) to forget about playing that
scene out to its end.
Don’t consider that a spoiler. There is more to it.
I include the information as proof of the playwright’s ability to keep us
interested, despite providing moments where we’re at the end of what we feel we
can tolerate or when we are growing tired with a theme. He consistently pulls a
switch and prevents us from heading to the exit. The language and situations
are very explicit, sometimes politically incorrect and often uncomfortable, but
the truth of one human spirit, being vulnerable with us, appeals through it
all. A scene between Sutter and his nursing-home-bound Granny (the versatile Williams)
is especially touching.
Humor helps, like a scene that pairs Dukes and
Thomas again, this time as Intifada and Genitalia, two women having a sort of
wedding ceremony to un-commit themselves from their long-term union with the
help of a "New Agey," “everything-is-cool” Officiant (Pennington). Also very
clever is a break-the-fourth-wall moment where a team of playwrights attends a
talk back moderated by a very amusing Pennington, to discuss some of what has
taken place so far. It breaks things up at just the right time.
Bootycandy is raw, harsh and cutting edge, but delivers an intelligent message
with a sharp script and excellent performances – just the type of production I have
come to expect at Playwrights, which isn’t afraid to tackle nontraditional
plays. Coming up this season: the word premieres of Grand Concourse by Heidi
Schreck, Pocatello by Samuel D. Hunter, Placebo by Melissa James Gibson, Iowa, a new musical play by Jenny Schwartz, music and lyrics by Todd Almond, and The New York
premiere of The Qualms by
Pulitzer-Prize and Tony Award winner Bruce Norris.
A special open captioned performance for theatergoers who are deaf and hard of hearing
will be held on the Saturday, Sept. 13 matinee at 2:30.
Christians might also like to know:
-- Sexualy explicit scenes and dialogue
-- Suicide
-- Language
-- Use of the "N" word
-- Scripture is used in one scene and altered
-- Sexual actions
-- Nudity
-- Cross Dressing
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