The exploration of relationships,
ever-changing and pulsating, is the focus of the taut, sometimes explosive
drama, Sunset Baby, playing at
Theaterworks through February 19th.
Playwright Dominique Morisseau introduces
three characters. Nina (Brittany
Bellizeare) is a low level street hustler who, along with her male
companion/lover and handler, Damon (Carlton Byrd), plies the streets of New
York eking out a tenuous existence.
They come across as two soulless individuals, existing day-to-day. That suddenly changes when Nina’s
father Tony (Todd Kenyatta), a former Black Panther type activist, suddenly enters
her life after many, many years fighting for social equality and other causes
and also serving time in jail. He
wants to locate letters his wife, Nina’s mother, left to her daughter after her
death. They are worth,
potentially, many of thousands of dollars because of her prominence in the
movement. That sparks conflict
between the young woman and Damon as well as dredges up years of pent-up
emotions and rage towards her father before an unexpected resolution involving
the threesome is revealed.
Todd Kenyatta and Brittany Bellizeare in "Susnet Baby" at Theaterworks (Photo by Lanny Nagler) |
Ms. Morrisseau’s drama presents a
slice of realism. The dialogue is
strong and feels authentic.
However, the back-story of each character is sketchy and perplexingly
incomplete, which gives the audience pause as to each character’s true
motivations. The real focus of the
show, even after the introduction of Nina’s long missing parent, takes time to
coalesce. Themes of family and
commitment swirl around the production, but they are uneasily pushed aside
towards the end as the trajectory of the play suddenly changes to Nina’s
resurrection as a determined, purposeful and independent woman.
The cast is compelling and show
total commitment to their characters. Todd Kenyatta gives Tony a thoughtful and
weighty demeanor. He is
reflective, yet determined. The
actor’s hardened gaze and discourse elevate a purposeful demeanor. Brittany Bellizeare presents Nina as an
emotionally battered woman with numerous unresolved issues and aspirations. She is strong and feisty, not
necessarily comfortable in her own skin.
The numerous costume changes she manages throughout the play could act
as a metaphor for her desire to constantly try to reinvent herself. While the actress demonstrates steely
grit, a degree of tenderness or vulnerability would have strengthened and
humanized her portrayal.
Carlton Byrd imbues Damon with both
rage and lovingness. Street savvy
and book smart, he exudes an arrogant self-pride that, in the end, makes him
irrelevant and disposable.
Carlton Byrd and Brittany Bellizeare in "Sunset Baby" at Theaterworks (Photo by Lanny Nagler) |
Director Reginald L. Douglas brings
an edginess to the production. At
times the atmosphere can be tense and confrontational. The fervor is amplified by shouting and
accusations, which works for most of the scenes, but is occasionally relied on
too heavily. Crafting a
three-person drama on a small, one set stage can be challenging but, for the
most part, Mr. Douglas deftly manages the task. His insertion of Tony’s plaintive, dimly lit soliloquies, at
key junctures of the show, is, at first, baffling and inscrutable until the
show’s conclusion. It is only then
we realize the purpose and poignancy of the solemn, matter-of-factly delivered verse.
Sunset Baby, a fitful,
but satisfying drama through February 19th.
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