[NEohioPAL]James Damico's Free Times Review on THE COLORED MUSEUM- Black Shibboleth: The Colored Museum hilariously lampoons stereotypes

Thu Feb 2 12:37:11 PST 2006

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      FREE TIMES
      Ohio's Premier News, Arts And Entertainment Weekly

      Theater: Black Shibboleth: The Colored Museum hilariously lampoons =
stereotypes=20
    =20
      By James Damico

      THE MANHATTAN DEBUT of The Colored Museum 20 years ago raised a =
measure of controversy and a lot more hopeful affirmation about the =
easing of the chokehold parochialism had on public conversation about =
racial matters. Admittedly, the impulse to knee-jerk defensiveness still =
lingers - consider the vehement reaction in some organizational =
African-American quarters to Bill Cosby's frequent chiding of =
shortcomings in the progress of black self-determination.=20
      But back then, the notion of a black-on-black satire, poking =
affectionate yet pointed fun at cherished icons, shibboleths and =
stereotypes of African-American heritage and culture ran the risk of =
being considered by many sheer heretical treason. Instead, this =
confident spoof actually constituted - and remains in Karamu's laudable =
current revival - a heartening, if modest, reassurance of how far the =
movement for social equality and self-realization had advanced since its =
bellicose '60s beginnings.

      The revue-like show brought instant celebrity to playwright George =
C. Wolfe, who's gone on to become a major player in American theater, =
though mostly as a director. That change of specialty is inherent in the =
11 sketches that comprise Museum, which display a much sharper eye than =
instinctive pen. The definite delights of the evening reside in the =
author's recognition and skewering of risible contradictions in human =
behavior which, once identified, however, sometimes seem to lose their =
edge in a repetitious lack of development or awkward forays into =
philosophical profundity.

      In happy contrast, those pieces that do succeed hit the nail on =
its hilarious thumb, and are gleefully carried out by Karamu's polished =
and protean quintet of performers under Caroline Jackson Smith's fluid =
direction. A prime example is "The Hairpiece," in which a pathetically =
perplexed Kimberly Brown, dressing for a date to dump her loser lover, =
gets caught in the middle of a hysterical anthropomorphized debate =
between her Afro wig (the missile-mouthed Katrice Monee Headd) and her =
Anglo wig (the doncha-mess-with-me-sistuh Stephanie Stovall), concerning =
which topping would make the proper in-your-face statement. The =
absurdity of more than a few politically mandated postures is drolly =
implied here.

      Equally elating is "The Last Mama-On-The-Couch Play." Beginning as =
a loving but irreverent takeoff on A Raisin in the Sun (which it should =
be remembered was already a quarter-century old when Museum premiered), =
the sketch proceeds to lampoon all its imitative successors that still =
have the downtrodden hero theatrically bewailing the oppressions of =
Whitey, Charley and The Man, while his Big Mama relies on God and a =
powerful right cross to keep him from perdition. The entire cast =
competes in overacting for an Oscar that gets passed around, but that =
indisputably belongs to Stovall's Mama.

      Brown is slinkily select as a Josephine Baker-type chanteuse, who =
points skyward in lieu of hitting the high notes, and whose shaky =
Frenchification finally can't hide her Mississippi roots when her =
doppelg=E4nger daughter shows up. The sketch is greatly overextended, =
but its comments on the effects of deracination are telling.
      G. Carlos Henderson has some forceful moments as a bitter drag =
queen, the ubiquitous Jimmie Woody lends his considerable talents to any =
number of roles, and Headd is absolutely scintillating as a sassy, sexy =
and swivel-hipped symbol of Wolfe's central thesis: Don't conform to =
anybody else's stereotype; just being who you are is good and hard =
enough.

      John Konopka's set conception, with its walled mini-turntable, is =
a key factor in keeping the evening propulsive, Richard H. Morris' =
lighting is helpfully atmospheric, and Morris Cameron's costumes are =
invariably right and, in a couple of instances, stunning. Not to =
mention, in a final dash of showy versatility, Stovall, Brown and Headd =
all contributed original music to several of the sketches.=20

      =
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cle&sid=3D3038&POSTNUKESID=3D214d61d16cbebf644e78e46d846e3d90

    =20

-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----------------------------------------
Karamu's 2005/2006 Season: Raisin' The Roof Revivals!

2005=20
The Odd Couple by Neil Simon
The Family Line by Peter Lawson Jones
Black Nativity by Langston Hughes
=20
The 2006 Season Lineup

The Colored Museum by George C. Wolfe (comedy satire)
January 27- February 19, 2006
Before It Hits Home by Cheryl L. West (drama)
March 10 - April 9, 2006
Dream on Monkey Mountain by Derek Walcott (mythical drama)
April 28 - May 21, 2006

"Karamu's 90th anniversary, programming a dynamic and largely daring =
season. -Tony Brown, Cleveland Plain Dealer (10/18/05)=20

"This month's opening of George C. Wolfe's brilliantly satirical "The =
Colored Museum" heralds a new and more exciting phase in the =
celebration. More than an ode to the past, the coming lineup reveals =
what we might expect from Karamu in the next decade. -Faye Sholiton, =
NorthernOhioLive (January 2006 issue)=20
=20
Awards and Publications

BTN Pathfinder Award 2004 (www.blacktheatrenetwork.org)
NBTF Theatre Company Longevity Award 2005 (www.nbtf.org)
Dream Builders Award 2005 (Ohio Classic)
Voted Best Theatre Honcho 2005 (Cleveland Scene)

The Old/New Karamu
October/November 2005 issue of arte'fakt

"Dream on 89th Street"=20
October 2005 issue of Cleveland Magazine
=20
"Karamu Revivals Takes Flight"=20
January 2006 issue of Northern Ohio Live Magazine=20
=20
Profile on Karamu production of "Before It Hits Home"
Upcoming March 2006 issue in Cleveland Magazine=20

Upcoming Events
Cleveland Play House FusionFestival, May 2006=20
Ingenuity Festival, Juky 2006=20

KARAMU is celebrating it's 90th anniversary this season. The historical =
multicultural/African American theatre is the oldest in the country. In =
Swahili "karamu" means a place of joyful gathering."=20
=20
For ticket information, please call 216-795-7077
For a tour of this historical theatre, please call 216-795-7070=20

Come Feel At Home In The House

"Leave room for the ghost"
Sekou Sundiata

=20

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      <DIV>FREE TIMES</DIV>
      <DIV>Ohio's Premier News, Arts And Entertainment Weekly</DIV>
      <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
      <DIV><B><A class=3Dpn-title=20
      =
href=3D"http://www.freetimes.com/modules.php?op=3Dmodload&name=3DNews=
&file=3Darticle&sid=3D3038&mode=3Dthread&order=3D0&th=
old=3D0"=20
      target=3D_blank>Theater: Black Shibboleth: The Colored Museum =
hilariously=20
      lampoons stereotypes</A></B></DIV></TD>
    <TD vAlign=3Dtop align=3Dright width=3D"1%"><A class=3Dpn-normal=20
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  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=3Dtop colSpan=3D2>By James Damico<BR><BR><BR>THE =
MANHATTAN DEBUT of=20
      The Colored Museum 20 years ago raised a measure of controversy =
and a lot=20
      more hopeful affirmation about the easing of the chokehold =
parochialism=20
      had on public conversation about racial matters. Admittedly, the =
impulse=20
      to knee-jerk defensiveness still lingers =97 consider the vehement =
reaction=20
      in some organizational African-American quarters to Bill Cosby=92s =
frequent=20
      chiding of shortcomings in the progress of black =
self-determination.=20
      <P>But back then, the notion of a black-on-black satire, poking=20
      affectionate yet pointed fun at cherished icons, shibboleths and=20
      stereotypes of African-American heritage and culture ran the risk =
of being=20
      considered by many sheer heretical treason. Instead, this =
confident spoof=20
      actually constituted =97 and remains in Karamu=92s laudable =
current revival =97=20
      a heartening, if modest, reassurance of how far the movement for =
social=20
      equality and self-realization had advanced since its bellicose =
=9260s=20
      beginnings.<BR><BR>The revue-like show brought instant celebrity =
to=20
      playwright George C. Wolfe, who=92s gone on to become a major =
player in=20
      American theater, though mostly as a director. That change of =
specialty is=20
      inherent in the 11 sketches that comprise Museum, which display a =
much=20
      sharper eye than instinctive pen. The definite delights of the =
evening=20
      reside in the author=92s recognition and skewering of risible =
contradictions=20
      in human behavior which, once identified, however, sometimes seem =
to lose=20
      their edge in a repetitious lack of development or awkward forays =
into=20
      philosophical profundity.<BR><BR>In happy contrast, those pieces =
that do=20
      succeed hit the nail on its hilarious thumb, and are gleefully =
carried out=20
      by Karamu=92s polished and protean quintet of performers under =
Caroline=20
      Jackson Smith=92s fluid direction. A prime example is =93The =
Hairpiece,=94 in=20
      which a pathetically perplexed Kimberly Brown, dressing for a date =
to dump=20
      her loser lover, gets caught in the middle of a hysterical=20
      anthropomorphized debate between her Afro wig (the missile-mouthed =
Katrice=20
      Monee Headd) and her Anglo wig (the doncha-mess-with-me-sistuh =
Stephanie=20
      Stovall), concerning which topping would make the proper =
in-your-face=20
      statement. The absurdity of more than a few politically mandated =
postures=20
      is drolly implied here.<BR><BR>Equally elating is =93The Last=20
      Mama-On-The-Couch Play.=94 Beginning as a loving but irreverent =
takeoff on A=20
      Raisin in the Sun (which it should be remembered was already a=20
      quarter-century old when Museum premiered), the sketch proceeds to =
lampoon=20
      all its imitative successors that still have the downtrodden hero=20
      theatrically bewailing the oppressions of Whitey, Charley and The =
Man,=20
      while his Big Mama relies on God and a powerful right cross to =
keep him=20
      from perdition. The entire cast competes in overacting for an =
Oscar that=20
      gets passed around, but that indisputably belongs to Stovall=92s=20
      Mama.<BR><BR>Brown is slinkily select as a Josephine Baker-type =
chanteuse,=20
      who points skyward in lieu of hitting the high notes, and whose =
shaky=20
      Frenchification finally can=92t hide her Mississippi roots when =
her=20
      doppelg=E4nger daughter shows up. The sketch is greatly =
overextended, but=20
      its comments on the effects of deracination are telling.<BR>G. =
Carlos=20
      Henderson has some forceful moments as a bitter drag queen, the =
ubiquitous=20
      Jimmie Woody lends his considerable talents to any number of =
roles, and=20
      Headd is absolutely scintillating as a sassy, sexy and =
swivel-hipped=20
      symbol of Wolfe=92s central thesis: Don=92t conform to anybody =
else=92s=20
      stereotype; just being who you are is good and hard =
enough.<BR><BR>John=20
      Konopka=92s set conception, with its walled mini-turntable, is a =
key factor=20
      in keeping the evening propulsive, Richard H. Morris=92 lighting =
is=20
      helpfully atmospheric, and Morris Cameron=92s costumes are =
invariably right=20
      and, in a couple of instances, stunning. Not to mention, in a =
final dash=20
      of showy versatility, Stovall, Brown and Headd all contributed =
original=20
      music to several of the sketches. </P>
      <P><FONT size=3D2><A=20
      =
href=3D"http://www.freetimes.com/modules.php?op=3Dmodload&name=3DNews=
&file=3Darticle&sid=3D3038&POSTNUKESID=3D214d61d16cbebf644e78=
e46d846e3d90"=20
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target=3D_blank>http://www.freetimes.com/modules.php?op=3Dmodload&nam=
e=3DNews&file=3Darticle&sid=3D3038&POSTNUKESID=3D214d61d16cbe=
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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=3D0 face=3DArial size=3D1 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"=20
PTSIZE=3D"8"><B>---------------------------------------------------------=
---------------------------------------------------------<BR></FONT><FONT=
=20
lang=3D0 face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"=20
PTSIZE=3D"10"><I>Karamu's 2005/2006 Season: Raisin' The Roof=20
Revivals!</I><BR><BR><I>2005 </B></I><BR>The Odd Couple by Neil =
Simon<BR>The=20
Family Line by Peter Lawson Jones<BR>Black Nativity by Langston=20
Hughes<BR> <B><BR><I>The 2006 Season =
Lineup</B></I><BR><BR></FONT><FONT=20
lang=3D0 face=3DArial color=3D#ff0000 size=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" =
PTSIZE=3D"10"><B><I>The=20
Colored Museum</B></I> </FONT><FONT lang=3D0 face=3DArial =
color=3D#000000 size=3D2=20
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"10">by George C. Wolfe (comedy =
satire)<BR>January 27-=20
February 19, 2006<BR><B><I>Before It Hits Home</B></I> by Cheryl L. West =

(drama) March 10 - April 9, 2006 Dream =
on Monkey=20
Mountain by Derek Walcott (mythical drama) April 28 - =
May 21,=20
2006 "Karamu's 90th anniversary, programming a dynamic and =
largely=20
daring season. -Tony Brown, Cleveland Plain Dealer (10/18/05)=20
 "This month's opening of George C. Wolfe's brilliantly =
satirical "The=20
Colored Museum" heralds a new and more exciting phase in the =
celebration. More=20
than an ode to the past, the coming lineup reveals what we might expect =
from=20
Karamu in the next decade. -Faye Sholiton, NorthernOhioLive (January =
2006=20
issue)   Awards and Publications BTN =

Pathfinder Award 2004 (www.blacktheatrenetwork.org)<BR>NBTF Theatre =
Company=20
Longevity Award 2005 (www.nbtf.org)</FONT><FONT lang=3D0 face=3DArial =
color=3D#000000=20
size=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"10"><BR></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 =
face=3DArial=20
color=3D#000000 size=3D1 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"8">Dream =
Builders Award 2005=20
(Ohio Classic)<BR>Voted Best Theatre Honcho 2005 (Cleveland =
Scene)<BR><BR>The=20
Old/New Karamu<BR>October/November 2005 issue of arte'fakt<BR><BR>"Dream =
on 89th=20
Street" <BR>October 2005 issue of Cleveland =
Magazine<BR> <BR>"Karamu=20
Revivals Takes Flight" <BR>January 2006 issue of Northern Ohio Live =

Magazine    Profile on Karamu production of "Before It =
Hits=20
Home" Upcoming March 2006 issue in Cleveland=20
Magazine  Upcoming Events Cleveland Play House=20
FusionFestival, May 2006 Ingenuity Festival, Juky 2006 =
 KARAMU is=20
celebrating it's 90th anniversary this season. The historical=20
multicultural/African American theatre is the oldest in the country. In =
Swahili=20
"karamu" means a place of joyful gathering."   For ticket=20
information, please call 216-795-7077 For a tour of this historical =
theatre,=20
please call 216-795-7070 Come Feel At Home In The=20
House <FONT lang=3D0 face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D2 =

FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"10"></I><BR></FONT><FONT lang=3D0 =
face=3DArial=20
color=3D#000000 size=3D1 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"8">"Leave room =
for the=20
ghost"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=3D0 face=3DArial color=3D#000000 size=3D1 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"=20
PTSIZE=3D"8">Sekou Sundiata<BR><BR> <BR><BR><BR></DIV></FONT><!-- =
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