[NEohioPAL]Cleveland Plain Dealer: Superb dancing elevates Christmas spectacular
Performing Arts
performingarts at karamu.com
Tue Dec 13 11:41:37 PST 2005
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ainment/1134379867297660.xml&coll=3D2
THEATER REVIEW=20
Superb dancing elevates Christmas spectacular=20
Black NativityWhat: Karamu Performing Arts Theatre presents the musical =
play by Langston Hughes, directed and choreographed by Terence Greene. =
When: Through Friday, Dec. 30. Where: Karamu's Jelliffe Theatre, 2355 =
East 89th St., Cleveland. Tickets: $20-$30. Call 216-795-7070.=20
Monday, December 12, 2005=20
Linda Eisenstien
Special to The Plain Dealer=20
If you're looking for an unabashedly religious theatrical celebration of =
Christmas, it's hard to beat "Black Nativity."=20
Karamu Performing Arts Theatre's joyful presentation of the Langston =
Hughes musical play is in its 20th consecutive season. Although, as =
usual, it's brimming over with gospel music belted out by big-voiced =
singers, this year it's the dancing that leaves the deepest impression. =
The collaboration among director/choreographer Terence Greene, a septet =
of his students from the Cleveland School of the Arts and principal =
dancers from the Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre is, in a word, =
stunning.=20
Hughes' holiday spectacular is in two parts. The first hour is a =
nativity pageant told through sacred dance and gospel music, with =
Hughes' text intoned by two deep-voiced, regal narrators in African =
robes (Reggie Scott and Jasper Howard). The highlight is the poignant =
dance of Joseph (the superb Michael Medcalf, artistic director of CCDT) =
and Mary (Kathleen Turner), convulsing and pleading through her labor =
pangs, as they're rejected by inn after inn.=20
=20
Greene's expressive choreography is full of falls, yearning extensions =
and stumbles. Maybe it's the recent memory of the plight of Hurricane =
Katrina survivors, but Hughes' depiction of Jesus' family as emblematic =
of the neglected poor has never been more searing. The desperation feels =
so real, you want to climb up on the stage and help.=20
The student dancers also do a fine job, opening the show with a lively =
African dance accompanied by drum. Twins Ryan and Brian E. Peoples =
alternate in the delightful solo role of an awe-struck shepherd, who =
ends his dance with B-boy-inspired spins and backflips.=20
In Hughes' second act, the scene shifts to a contemporary gospel church, =
where parishioners sing of faith and gratitude. Although there's a =
comic-staging touch or two (a disapproving matron keeps pulling down her =
flamboyant neighbor's dress to cover her knees), Greene keeps the tone =
reverent and puts the emphasis on the music as Gospel testimony. That =
makes the second act more static, but it's again enlivened by =
beautifully contemplative dance solos by Medcalf and Turner.=20
The whole ensemble gets its turn to vocally shine, but Bianca Jenkins =
excels in several gorgeous featured solos.=20
The physical production is handsome and colorful, with Morris Cammon's =
jewel-toned costumes getting more elaborate as the show progresses. =
Special kudos to the rocking three-piece combo led by Clifton Beasley.=20
Eisenstein is a playwright in Cleveland.=20
To reach Linda Eisenstein:=20
entertainment at plaind.com=20
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<DIV class=3Dkicker><A=20
href=3D"http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/index.ssf?/bas=
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<DIV class=3Dkicker><STRONG>THEATER REVIEW </STRONG></DIV></DIV>
<H1 class=3Dred>
<H1 class=3Dred>Superb dancing elevates Christmas spectacular </H1></H1>
<DIV class=3Dsubhead>
<DIV class=3Dsubhead><B>Black NativityWhat: Karamu Performing Arts =
Theatre=20
presents the musical play by Langston Hughes, directed and choreographed =
by=20
Terence Greene. When: Through Friday, Dec. 30. Where: Karamu's Jelliffe =
Theatre,=20
2355 East 89th St., Cleveland. Tickets: $20-$30. Call 216-795-7070. =
</B></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dsubhead><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dbyln>Monday, December 12, 2005=20
<DIV>
<DIV>Linda Eisenstien</DIV></DIV><B><B>Special to The Plain =
Dealer</B></B>=20
</DIV>
<P>If you're looking for an unabashedly religious theatrical celebration =
of=20
Christmas, it's hard to beat "Black Nativity." </P>
<P>Karamu Performing Arts Theatre's joyful presentation of the Langston =
Hughes=20
musical play is in its 20th consecutive season. Although, as usual, it's =
brimming over with gospel music belted out by big-voiced singers, this =
year it's=20
the dancing that leaves the deepest impression. The collaboration among=20
director/choreographer Terence Greene, a septet of his students from the =
Cleveland School of the Arts and principal dancers from the Cleveland=20
Contemporary Dance Theatre is, in a word, stunning. </P>
<P>Hughes' holiday spectacular is in two parts. The first hour is a =
nativity=20
pageant told through sacred dance and gospel music, with Hughes' text =
intoned by=20
two deep-voiced, regal narrators in African robes (Reggie Scott and =
Jasper=20
Howard). The highlight is the poignant dance of Joseph (the superb =
Michael=20
Medcalf, artistic director of CCDT) and Mary (Kathleen Turner), =
convulsing and=20
pleading through her labor pangs, as they're rejected by inn after inn. =
</P>
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<P>Greene's expressive choreography is full of falls, yearning =
extensions and=20
stumbles. Maybe it's the recent memory of the plight of Hurricane =
Katrina=20
survivors, but Hughes' depiction of Jesus' family as emblematic of the =
neglected=20
poor has never been more searing. The desperation feels so real, you =
want to=20
climb up on the stage and help. </P>
<P>The student dancers also do a fine job, opening the show with a =
lively=20
African dance accompanied by drum. Twins Ryan and Brian E. Peoples =
alternate in=20
the delightful solo role of an awe-struck shepherd, who ends his dance =
with=20
B-boy-inspired spins and backflips. </P>
<P>In Hughes' second act, the scene shifts to a contemporary gospel =
church,=20
where parishioners sing of faith and gratitude. Although there's a =
comic-staging=20
touch or two (a disapproving matron keeps pulling down her flamboyant =
neighbor's=20
dress to cover her knees), Greene keeps the tone reverent and puts the =
emphasis=20
on the music as Gospel testimony. That makes the second act more static, =
but=20
it's again enlivened by beautifully contemplative dance solos by Medcalf =
and=20
Turner. </P>
<P>The whole ensemble gets its turn to vocally shine, but Bianca Jenkins =
excels=20
in several gorgeous featured solos. </P>
<P>The physical production is handsome and colorful, with Morris =
Cammon's=20
jewel-toned costumes getting more elaborate as the show progresses. =
Special=20
kudos to the rocking three-piece combo led by Clifton Beasley. </P>
<P>Eisenstein is a playwright in Cleveland. </P>
<P>To reach Linda Eisenstein: </P>
<P>entertainment at plaind.com </P></DIV><BR =
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