Playwright August Wilson kept his promise. To portray the African American experience in 20th-century America decade by decade, a journey that began in 1979. Paralleling the African American quest for dignity, he framed his metaphor in Pittsburgh's rundown Hill District where he grew up.
Although Wilson did not write in chronological sequence, the current Seattle Repertory Theatre offering, "Gem of the Ocean," ninth in his 10-play cycle, heralds the official beginning of Wilson's powerful saga. The time is 1904 and we finally meet Aunt Ester Tyler, the spiritual matriarch of 1839 Wylie Avenue, mentioned in previous Wilson dramas.
"Gem" may not be his most accomplished effort, but it offers insights into an often-neglected phase of history - the aftermath and failed promises of the American Civil War. Though they were technically free, little had changed for African Americans. They may have thrown off the chains of slavery, yet they remained shackled by the manipulations and restrictions of the "white master." Forced to work and live under dismal conditions, they dared not aspire to a better lifestyle. If they did, punishment followed, even torture and lynching. Even when they wanted to travel to the North, former slaves had to stick to backwoods routes, because regular roads were off-limits to them.
Acclaimed actress Phylicia Rashad makes her directorial debut with a great respect for Wilson's work. Tony nominated for her own performance as Aunt Ester in the 2005 Broadway production of "Gem of the Ocean," Rashad steers Seattle Rep's show with great sensitivity and understanding - for both the text and actors. And the Rep should be lauded for having produced all 10 of August Wilson's decade-driven dramas.
Shot through with pain and laced with humor, Wilson's work inhabits a theatrical neighborhood filled with richly developed characters whose poetic dialogue spews forth like musical riffs - raw with power and symphonic strife. The future is enslaved by legacies of the past, so any hopes for the American Dream must face off against history and heritage.
Enter Wilson's much-touted matriarch and mystic, Aunt Ester, who's reputed to be over 285 years old. As the shrewd former slave and widely respected community healer, Michele Shay commands the stage, dispensing stature, wisdom and crafty machinations to all who wander into Ester's sanctuary.
An eclectic group of followers gathers around her table. The most Shakespearean-like visitor is Solly Two Kings, a former slave and pilot on the Underground Railroad. Beautifully played by William Hall Jr., Solly - short for Solomon - evokes biblical comparison. He carries a wooden staff, notched with 62 marks for each slave he guided to freedom.
To survive, he collects and sells dog dung. But Solly also collects and shares tales of life. A bit of a ladies man, he even has a go at Aunt Ester, who reacts to his shenanigans with a teasing retort, "C'mon let's get married. I've had four husbands; I might as well have five."
Todd Jefferson Moore plays the folksy-friendly peddler, Rutherford Selig, the only white character, with equal appeal. Moore sometimes puts you in mind of actor Christopher Guest with his rather endearing and amusing performance.
As the black boss and constable Caesar Wilks, Stanley Wayne Mathis brings to mind Charles Dutton's intensely energetic performances in Wilson's plays. An autocratic wannabe, Caesar has sold out to the white establishment and fanatically enforces its code of rules and restrictions, while his feisty sister Black Mary, strongly portrayed by Crystal Fox, denounces his misguided arrogance. The protégée and heir-apparent to Aunt Ester's spiritual dynasty, Black Mary works as a laundress and cook at 1839 Wylie Avenue.
Unfortunately, Allie Woods fails to develop the role of Eli, Aunt Ester's resident protector. Woods undermines the stage action by speaking so rapidly that his words are often unintelligible.
As the play begins, Citizen Barlow, an ex-slave and refugee from Alabama, pounds on Aunt Ester's door in the middle of the night. He's come to seek redemption for his past sins - real and imagined - by having his soul washed. Or should we say exorcised? Kahlil Kain hits the perfect note as a man hungry for transformation. There is an especially poignant scene between him and Fox, when Citizen clumsily woos her by talking about a past romance.
All the design elements come together in the surreal soul-cleansing ceremony, Act Two's signature scene. For some audience members, this intensely symbolic ritual may be confusing, as Ester and her entourage guide Citizen through what is meant to be a terrifying and transcending head-trip on the slave ship, the Gem of the Ocean. He must enter and survive the City of Bones, a mythical, mid-Atlantic resting place for the bodies of two million-plus African slaves who perished during the long ocean voyages to America.
If "Gem of the Ocean" falls short of Wilson's other works, it still houses an abundance of lyrical dialogue and perceptive observations. Over the course of two and a half hours, Wilson endows each character with at least one thought-provoking soliloquy.
In 26 years, 10 dramas and two Pulitzer Prizes, August Wilson introduced us to a coterie of flawed but empathetic characters. He served laughter along with tears, inviting audiences to recognize the humanity of African Americans and remove the emotional restraints of racism in America.
But this past week during the Don Imus episode, we were made painfully aware that almost 150 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans must still defend their right to equality and dignity. It's like Solly Two Kings observed: "The people think they in freedom. That's all my daddy talked about. He died and never did have it. I say I got it but what is it? I'm still trying to find out."
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