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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Wilson (1945-2005) is known for his Century Cycle of 10 plays, each showcasing African-American life in a different decade of the 20th century. This play, set in a Chicago recording studio in 1927, is the only one in the cycle not set in Wilson's home city of Pittsburgh. Arnel Sancianco's lavishly detailed set takes the audience into the studio where Ma is preparing to record some new songs with her musicians. Along with Levee, there's intellectual Toledo (Ro Boddie) on piano, Cutler (Craig Wallace) on trombone, and Slow Drag (Derrick Truby) on bass. Sturdyvant (Chris Genebach), who owns the studio, has a running argument with Irvin (Michael Glenn), Rainey's manager, about what kind of music he wants Ma to record. Add in Sylvester (Jaylen Henderson), Ma's winsome nephew, and Dussie Mae (Kanysha Williams), Ma's flamboyant "companion," and things get intense. Wilson's use of language is hypnotic, drawing the audience into an unfamiliar world with clarity and precision. Several characters offer transporting monologues that seem like arias, specifically Levee's description of a race-based attack on his family when he was a child. But the play never becomes tedious as each scene builds onto the previous one and the tensions keep building. Samantha Jones has designed character-defining costumes, from Ma's elegant peacock-blue gown with appliques and Dussie Mae's sparkly yellow dress to Levee's sharp checkered suit and (important to the plot) his new pair of shoes. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom runs through October 18, 2026, at Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda MD. For tickets and information, please call 240-644-1100 or visit www.roundhousetheatre.org. By August Wilson Cast: |
