Westcoast Troupe gets a shout out from Wall Street Journal

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Wall Street Journal theater critic Terry Teachout is giving more praise to the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe and its production of August Wilson's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."

Tarra Conner jones leads the band at a recording sessions as singer Ma Rainey in August Wilson's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. DON DALY PHOTO/WBTT

Tarra Conner jones leads the band at a recording sessions as singer Ma Rainey in August Wilson's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. DON DALY PHOTO/WBTT

In a review published Friday, Teachout said that Wilson's cycle of 10 plays about black life in America in each decade of the 20th century hasn't been done often enough since the playwright's death in 2005. He said he seeks them out when he's traveling, which brought him back to Westcoast. "I liked what Westcoast Black did with Charles Smith's 'Knock Me a Kiss' last January and I'm even more impressed by its version of 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.'"

The 1984 play is about Ma Rainey, the real life blues singer from the 1920s, who is seen with her musicians at a recording session for white producers and the racial tensions that develop over several hours of work and waiting.

"This small-scale staging, directed by Chuck Smith and performed in the company's black-box theater, is one of the best-acted Wilson revivals I've seen in recent seasons and the acting gains in impact from being viewed in so compact a space. It's a very strong production of a very important play."

Teachout said that "mr. Smith and his cast have hit the high C of absolute authenticity: Every line sounds as real as a heartbeat. I was especially impressed by the four members of the band, and in particular by (Kenny) Dozier, who plays a world-weary trombonist who just wants to get paid and go home."

He also had praise for Tarra Conner jones. "in addition to being a convincing actor, Ms. Jones is also a bona fide blues shouter whose straight-from-the-shoulder singing evokes the real Ma Rainey's '20s style without resorting to mere imitation."

Teachout has reviewed numerous shows at Asolo Repertory Theatre for the Wall STreet Journal, including a piece about "Ah, Wilderness!" a week ago.

You can read an excerpt of Teachout's review here. Wall Street Journal subscribers can read his full review of "Ma Rainey" here.

 

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Jay Handelman

Jay Handelman is the theater and television critic for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where he has worked since 1984. He also is President of the Foundation of the American Theatre Critics Association and a two-time past chairman of the association's executive committee. He can be reached by email or call (941) 361-4931. Follow him at @jayhandelman on Twitter. Make sure to "Like" Arts Sarasota on Facebook for news and reviews of the arts.
Last modified: February 8, 2016
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