Opening night of any production always has a few kinks, but the opening night of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Friday ran smoothly, with only minor flubs.
Swine Palace’s intimate setting combined with the professional quality of the performances, the sets and period costumes created a delightful atmosphere.
Director Joy Vandervoort-Cobb, with actors Sam Gates and Michael Anthony Williams, return from last year’s “Fences” to delve into another August Wilson work. The local cast included theatre senior Kuniqua Stewart, graduate student Eric Little and retired WAFB meteorologist Mike Graham.
The play centers on the four members of Ma Rainey’s band, Cutler, Levee, Slow Drag and Toledo, during a 1927 recording session.
Cutler, played by Ward Nixon who appeared on “Third Watch,” plays trombone and attempts to keep the band in line.
Slow Drag (Cortez Nance Jr., “Law and Order SVU” and “OZ”) plays bass and tries to stay out of all the arguments. Toledo (Michael Anthony Williams, “Law and Order” and “Unbreakable”) is the thinker of the band who reads constantly and espouses theories no one else quite understands.
Levee (Samuel Ray Gates, “Guiding Light”) is the troubled trumpet player who wants to play jazz, not the blues.
Gloria Sauve as “Ma Rainey” is the perfect combination of diva and feminine humor. Her voice is sultry and soulful when she sings “I Can’t Wear No Pointy-Toed Shoes” and delightfully demanding when she screams for a Coca-Cola. Ma Rainey knows how to get what she wants when she wants it. During her dialogue, she insightfully explains the white men only want her voice, so as long as she holds out, she can get whatever she wants.
Her manager Irvin (Walter Brody) and the record company executive Sturdyvant (Stewart Steinberg) expertly portray the greediness of the music industry and the exploitation of black music for white financial gain.
The band members each have their own internal conflicts with women, white people and God. Each man represents a different attitude of the black mentality during the 1920s. Throughout the night the men joke and chide one another, but the explosive anger each feels toward a certain issue causes them to learn more about why they are the way they are.
The character Levee, in particular, is intriguing. Gates is phenomenal at portraying pure rage and hatred. Levee is the most volatile character and sees the evolution of jazz in the near future, but cannot find anyone else who shares his vision.
Stewart plays the flirtatious Dussie Mae and is a fine representative of the LSU theatre department. Little appears as pure comic relief as the stuttering nephew of Ma Rainey, Slyvester. His dancing and speaking are hysterically funny.
The play tackles serious issues such as race, women and the role of blacks in society, all of which are relevant today. The insightful dialogue often laces serious social commentary under the guise of humor, which adds layers to a seemingly simple story.
The use of the “n” word is common in the play, as are other profanities, drinking and illegal substance abuse. This is not the average happy ending production; it is funny, sad and provokes thought, with a shocking plot twist.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is a credit to its cast and Swine Palace and is worth every penny to this caliber of production.
The show runs through Oct. 12 at the Reilly Theatre.
Shows start at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets are $12 for students, $19 for seniors and $27 to $30 for adults.
Tickets for the event can be purchased through Ticketmaster, or by calling 578-3527.