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Edited and Published by Robert W. McDowell
July 7, 2022 Issue |
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A FREE Weekly E-mail Newsletter Covering Theater, Dance, Music, and Film in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill/Carrboro Area of North Carolina Since April 2001. |
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PART 3A: TRIANGLE THEATER REVIEW BY KURT BENRUD |
ValLimar Jansen's Sweet Mama Stringbean Superbly
Chronicles the Life and Times of Ethel Waters
Three years (and one pandemic ago), I attended (and very much enjoyed) ValLimar Jansen's Sweet Mama Stringbean: The Life & Times of Ethel Waters, a one-woman show directed by Kenneth E. Hinton Sr. and starring Phyllis (Pia) Morrison as Waters. Lucky for me: the show has been revived, so that I was able to see it again. Lucky for you: Agape Theatre Project has scheduled three more performances -- at 8 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 8-10, in Burning Coal Theatre Company's Murphey School Auditorium in Raleigh.
The show begins with the wail of a sax (courtesy of Serena Wiley), leading into Morrison's vocal rendition of "Lonesome Swallow." The throb of Jerry Smith's bass, along with music director Will Ellis' spirited "tickling" of the piano keys and Martel "Mar" McCloud's subtle (but not subdued) touch on the drums provide authentic back-up as Pia Morrison expertly channels Waters.
But the show is not just a concert. Continuing to channel Ethel Waters (1896-1977), Pia Morrison addresses the audience, telling us that she is glad that we have come to listen to her story. And (as Waters) she starts at the very beginning, telling us that she was "a child of the streets ... a bastard," born to a 12-year-old mother who had been raped at knife point. We hear some highlights and some lowlights, the agonies and the ecstasies, Waters' triumphs and her setbacks. Interspersed in the narrative, we are treated to a plethora of Waters' hits, and Morrison hits the mark every time.
Playwright ValLimar Jansen's uses the device of an onstage scrapbook, to which the script refers now and then, as prompts for the various anecdotes of Waters' life that Morrison relates to us. Director Kenneth Hinton makes use of some strategically placed props that act as entries in a 3D "scrapbook" -- various touchstones that Morrison is able to use as she tells Waters' story. Pay attention to a teddy bear who sits in a chair center stage, and be aware of what he represents (Morrison will tell you). Pay even more attention to when he is no longer there.
The show is billed as a one-woman show, but I must note that a few crucial scenes include Danielle Harris as "Young Ethel," who appears onstage as the narration conjures her up. Particularly special is a scene in which Young Ethel stumbles onto a dance floor wearing high heels (presumably for the first time) and then dances while Morrison (as mature Waters) belts out yet another song.
The magic of this play is that we are invited into the soul of Ethel Waters, and we experience her as a performer and as a "best friend," who willingly shares everything with us.
Re-visiting a show after three years can be risky. How will it measure up to my memories? And will the fact that it is in a different venue (Raleigh's Murphey School Auditorium as opposed to Durham's Hayti Heritage Center) make a difference? This re-visit measures up -- hands down -- and it is everything that I remembered and more!
ValLimar Jansen's SWEET MAMA STRINGBEAN: THE LIFE & TIMES OF ETHEL WATERS (In-Person Fundraiser at 8 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 8-10), directed by Kenneth E. Hinton Sr. and starring Phyllis (Pia) Morrison as Ethel Waters (1896-1977), accompanied by music director Will Ellis (keyboard), Serena Wiley (saxophone), Jerry Smith (bass), and Martel "Mar" McCloud (drums) (Agape Theatre Project in Burning Coal Theatre Company's Murphey School Auditorium in Raleigh). TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5qUdAcEYP0. 2022 SEASON: https://www.agapetheatreproject.com/events. THE PRESENTER: https://www.agapetheatreproject.com/, https://www.facebook.com/ATPDurham/, https://www.instagram.com/agapetheatreproject/, https://twitter.com/AgapeTheatrePro, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9bp87bCSuISLtK9dXKXKhw. THE VENUE: https://burningcoal.org/plan-your-visit/ and https://burningcoal.org/history-of-the-murphey-school/. DIRECTIONS/PARKING: https://burningcoal.org/plan-your-visit/. COVID PRECAUTIONS: https://burningcoal.org/covid-precautions/. TICKETS: $20 in advance and $25 at the door, plus taxes and fees. Click here to buy tickets in advance. INFORMATION: 919-957-9692 or mr.khinton@yahoo.com. PLEASE DONATE TO: Agape Theatre Project.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Kurt Benrud is a graduate of Cary High School and N.C. State University, and he has taught English at both. He first became involved in local theater in 1980. He has served on the board of directors for both the Cary Players and the Cary Playwrights' Forum. He is also a volunteer reader with Triangle Radio Reading Service. Click here to read his reviews for Triangle Review. |
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