Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at Goodman Theatre: OPEN NOW thru 5/3
Photo by Justin Barbin
At long last I can finally say that we have rehearsed and opened Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom for The Goodman’s 100th season AND we are now extended to 5/3!
In this process I have had the honor to play Sylvester and understudy Levee, played by the powerhouse that is Al’Jaleel McGhee. The legendary E. Faye Butler plays Ma Rainey, The Mother of the Blues on her way to an eventful and entertaining afternoon at a Chicago recording studio in 1926. My cast for this show is STACKED—Kelvin Roston Jr plays Toledo this go round, David Alan Anderson plays Cutler, and I’m back on stage with my man Cedric Young (Slow Drag)! Alongside Ma Rainey and Sylvester is THEE Tiffany Renee Johnson as Dussie Mae and we also have Marc Grapey and Matt DeCaro as our Irvin and Sturdyvant. Lastly, shoutout to our cameo specialist, Scott Aiello coming in to play the glue to the entire show—Policeman.
We were led by two legends in Chuck Smith and Harry Lennix as we have staged what many are calling one of the bolder adaptations of Ma Rainey to date!
I’ve been a fan of this play in particular since reading the play cycle in middle school. I fell in love with the idea of performing in this show after seeing the work on screen between Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman. And honestly, I became obsessed with playing a role in the show the next time the show would be produced in my city. Fast forward to now, I am alongside so many more artists I’ve been blessed to watch from afar and up close since beginning my training. The start of my career has been blessed with some gems and this show feels like I’ve just added another to my collection. Come downtown and join me in celebrating this passionate, musical, and relevant piece of black theatre. This is one of them ones you can’t miss.
I told everyone after opening that I wanted to pour as much life into Sylvester as I could. One critique I have with previous iterations of August Wilson’s work that I’ve experienced is that strength is best displayed through older character, and usually the men. I wanted Sylvester as the youngest character in the play, and also one with a constant stutter to still have moments where he could be the most powerful person on stage. I wanted this version of him not to be hindered by disability—his stutter is NOT a handicap, but rather a glitch that stems from passion. I think it was important to remind myself the impacts of his time period, that there weren’t as many resources that we have today, so while Sylvester knows he’s “different” he rarely views himself as disabled or some of the stigmas associated with that label. I think that allowed me to have more fun, free from judgement of the character. Sylvester was able to live on stage freely and honestly, which opened the door for comedy that felt more closer to something situational rather than something slapstick. Come pull up and see if this boy can get that part right!
You have til May 3rd, see y’all after the show!