Displaying items by tag: Daryl D Brooks

Taking part of its title from a defining song that drew attention to the AIDS crisis in the mid 80s, That’s What Friends Are For: Gladys, Dionne and Patti combines thoughtful storytelling and fantastic music to honor the cultural contributions of three outstanding artists.  Currently playing at Black Ensemble Theater (BE) through late July, it also highlights how the three women referenced, now each in their eighth decade, have been able to sustain a close and abiding friendship for over fifty years.  That BE fulfilled its mission to offer a fresh look back on the careers and discography of Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle so brilliantly is more refreshing than it is surprising.   Proving that even when you’ve honed your craft expertly for nearly half a century, you can still innovate and discover new approaches to offer the theater going public something novel and tremendously exciting. 

Written and directed by Daryl D. Brooks, the theater’s Producing Managing Director, the musical’s more dramatic elements take place in the Green Room of a leading Vegas nightclub where the three legends will be headlining a performance.  Chic and relaxingly plush, it reads as a fitting setting for a reunion of luminaries.  Acting as their tender who’s indubitably accomplished at what he does and has a history serving at least one of the women in the past, ensemble member Dennis Dent dials up the comedy quotient by compulsively oversharing some of the racier parts of his own love life while accommodating their every desire. It doesn’t take long to become comfortably acquainted with who’s who and embrace the authenticity of the high regard the women hold for one another. 

We’re initially introduced to the three stars in their fully formed and mature personas.   Rose Marie Simmons portrays the contemporary Gladys Knight and Sybyl Walker and Tamara Batiest play the mature versions of Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle respectively. Later, as the play progresses, different actors will represent the younger fledgling versions of each of them.

What appears to be a chance comment by one of the trio early in the show launches Gladys, Ms. Simmons, into a rendition of Oh Happy Day that’s so rousing it makes you sit up straight and causes your eyes to widen.  Captivating your attention with its power, conviction, ingenious arrangement and artistic mastery, a classic is transformed into something splendidly new.   You soon learn singing and blue-chip musicality on that level would be the standard for the entire performance. 

As the women reminisce about their early years, how they all started out as backup singers whose distinctiveness eventually took them to the standalone mic at the center of the stage, the music and sound that led to their discovery and fame was brought back to the fore.  This was done most effectively when focused on Dionne Warwick’s career.   

Anyone faintly familiar with Warwick’s rise knows how pivotal her association with Burt Bacharach was in fueling her fame and it’s the scene with the young Dionne (Brianna Buckley) and Mr. Bacharach, played by Michael Santos, that riveted for its realism and resonance.  When the mature Dionne states she’s always been a “no-nonsense black woman who knows her worth”, it’s Buckley who brings the depth of that conviction to blazing life.  Unyielding in her indignation when she learns her mentor and partner has given a song written expressly for her to another artist, her fury, its intensity made more potent because it was so contained and focused, reverberated like shock waves through the theater.  With the steely ardor Buckley brought to it, the power of that scene could have been used to inspire and spawn an entirely new companion play. Its real-life outcome was to provide the seed for one the biggest hits Bacharach would write for Warwick, Don’t Make Me Over.

Similar insights about pivotal moments and crucial intersections that would go on to define the trajectory of each of their lives swirled through the production; giving each of their lives fuller dimension and engendering greater respect for what they all eventually accomplished.  Fame and fortune have no impact on how well Cupid shoots his arrow and all three women knows, as the play recounts, the sting that comes when it strikes badly.

Reflecting on how their careers overlapped and remembering the friendships they shared with others in the industry, unexpected delicacies were woven into Brooks’ tight illuminating script.  When some of “ReeRee’s” (Aretha Franklin’s) idiosyncrasies were playfully and lovingly recalled, her music was also resurrected with a sensational rattle-the-rafters medley of a few of her signature masterworks, Respect, Think and Ain’t No Way. 

Similar delights lay in wait when Luther’s name entered the conversation.  Characteristically suave, another ensemble regular, Dwight Neal, can always be counted on to nudge the bar to impressive new heights; but his vocal interpretations of Mr. Vandross, in tandem with the outstanding musicianship of BE’s rock-solid band, were remarkable.  Adding another layer of excellence to an already break-out show.  And as wonderful as it was, his performance was not its highlight.  That distinction goes unequivocally to Tamara Batiest in her role as Patti LaBelle. When you consider Ms. LaBelle’s vocal range, outsized charisma and the signature theatrics she’s been known to exhibit on stage, filling her shoes would seem like an intimidating task.  Batiest’s take on Patti makes the challenge look trivial, becoming an avatar who’s as realistic and enthralling, if not more so, than the original.  Garnering her a standing ovation every time she sang.   Seeing Batiest commanding a Chicago stage more often, in addition to Ms. Simmons and Ms. Walker, would be a boon to the cultural vitality of the city.

Also adding to the production’s luster, Tanji Harper’s choreography included a dash of smooth sophisticated elegance to the steps she devised for the Spinners and Ms. Knight’s faithful Pips.  Complemented by Keith Ryan’s polished costume designs, That’s What Friends Are For’s visual pleasures ideally framed a night of marvelous music.  

That’s What Friends Are For: Gladys, Dionne and Patti

Through July 27, 2025

Black Ensemble Theater

4450 N. Clark Street

Chicago, IL   60640

https://blackensembletheater.org

Highly Recommended

*Extended through August 10th

*This review is also featured on https://www.theatreinchicago.com/! 

Black music in the 1980’s was transformative. It was the decade where Black music exploded in diversity and influence. It broke down racial barriers in popular music, with Black artists topping the charts and influencing artists across genres. Black music embraced new music technology; pioneering techniques used in popular music today. It provided a powerful platform for social commentary, giving voice to Black experiences in America.

Writer-Director Daryl D. Brooks takes us back to the 1980’s with his time machine, if you plan on taking the trip, pack your dancing shoes and be ready to party “all night long”.

The premise is simple, Derrick Taylor (an entertaining Brandon Lewis) a High School senior must do a research project on music of the 1980’s. He knows absolutely nothing about the 1980’s or its music. He solicits the help of his eccentric inventor Uncle Mike (the always excellent Thee Ricky Harris) who just happens to have been working on a time machine, and what a time machine it is.

Dominating the stage is a boombox perched atop a turntable. This colossal creation by Set Designer Denise Karczewski instantly transports us to the vibrant 1980s, a decade synonymous with bold statements and larger-than-life living. It evokes the era of Flava Flav's iconic clock necklace, where oversized accessories and shoulder-padded garments ruled the fashion scene.

Britt Edwards in The Time Machine: A Tribute to the 80’s

This set design isn't just a visual spectacle; it's a subtle commentary on the era's emphasis on conspicuous consumption. The sheer size of the boombox hints at a time when material possessions played a significant role in expressing success and individuality.

The music in Act 1 reflects the diverse sounds of the 1980s, including funk, soul, and hip-hop.

It features artists like Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, Soul to Soul, Prince, Sheila E, Morris Day & The Time, Keith Sweat, and New Edition. Act 2 opens with movie theme songs, which were popular in the 1980s. It also introduces rap music, which was beginning to gain popularity at the time. The music also features slow jams and artists like Al B. Sure, DeBarge, Sade, Force MDs,  Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson.

This exceptionally cast show boasts several unforgettable performances:

Jaitee delivers a captivating triple threat, embodying Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat, and even Run with remarkable ease. Micah Alyce stuns as both Lisa Lisa and Irene Cara, showcasing her versatility.

Vincent Jordan commands the stage as Morris Day, LL Cool J, and Al B. Sure, proving his acting range.

Jared Brown shines as Prince, effortlessly transitioning to El DeBarge and Ricky Bell. The dynamic duo of Britt Edwards and Vu brings Denise Williams, Whitney Houston, and Salt-N-Pepa to life, showcasing their vocal and dance talents. Issac Ray energizes the stage as Kurtis Blow, while Ben Izlar Jr. delivers a vocally stunning performance as Johnny Gill. Isaiah Engram brings power and charisma to Rob Base and Ronnie Devoe, and Miciah Lathan flawlessly embodies both Queen Latifah and Chaka Khan. Ama Kuwonu's graceful portrayal of Sade adds another layer of brilliance to the production.

My one criticism, I would have liked Madonna to have been more prominent in this production. She was the embodiment of 80s culture. You couldn’t go to a club in New York without seeing her or hearing her music.

Fueling this musical time machine is the masterful Music Director, Robert Reddrick. With his keen ear and dedication, he has meticulously recreated the authentic sounds of the featured songs of the 1980s’. Joining him on this sonic journey is a stellar band, bringing the music to life with their expertise. Adam Sherrod weaves his magic on the keyboard. Eric Troy, Sr. adds rich textures to the organ.

Myron Cherry keeps the beat solid on drums. Oscar Brown, Jr electrifies the guitar and Walter Harrington anchors the sound with the bass. Together, this talented team forms the engine that propels the audience through a musical journey across time.

Christopher Chase Carter’s choreography was sharp and tight. The moves were complicated and very well executed. He obviously researched the era and the dance styles.  It paid off well, the choreography was beautiful.

Marquecia Jordan's costumes reflected the 1980's aesthetic, with a heavy use of sequins, the colors were bold, and they were accessorized according to the era. Big Chains, Big Earrings…. Loud!

Black artists' success challenged the status quo, their innovative sounds became the new mainstream, and their powerful messages resonated with a global audience. The 1980s became a decade where Black music wasn't just popular, it was transformative.

The Time Machine: A Tribute to the 80’s is more than just a musical revue; it's a time capsule capturing the raw energy, cultural impact, and enduring legacy of 80s music."

Highly Recommended

When: Through April 14, 2024

Where: 4450 N. Clark

Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Tickets: $56.50 - $66.50  Info at www.blackensemble.org.

It was 1982 in America, and premiering on Broadway was "Pump Boys & Dinettes," a show recalling the "good ole days" of the South (for some).

While it doesn' have much of a plot, if you enjoy escapist theatre with a country and western feel, this is the show for you. The original cast—Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Foley, Mark Hardwick, John Schimmel and Jim Wann—created Pump Boys, and though it was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical, it was up against “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Nine,” and "Dreamgirls," the fictionalized tale of the Supremes which pretty much swept up the awards.

The original "Pump Buys & Dinettes" closed after 573 performances, then went quietly into obscurity until someone mounted a version in 1984 at Chicago's Apollo Theatre on Lincoln Avenue, where it ran for nearly five years, closing in July 1989 following 1,976 performances and selling 600,000 tickets. 

So Porchlight has chosen a likely winner with this revival. But its original all-white cast and its setting in the 1950s—when filling stations and diners in the South notoriously discriminated against people of color—demanded a dramatic revamp 30 years later. Porchlight has done just that. 

Under the direction Daryl Brooks, a name you may know from The Black Ensemble Theater, this cast gives a lively energetic jolt of life lessons, foibles and desires by way of country western songs. The genius of Brooks was in casting an inter-racial group of people to play the pump boy and dinettes, thereby making it a broadly American Musical.  

Shantel Cribbs (Prudie, above right) and Melanie Loren (Rhetta, center opposite Ian Paul Custer) are cast as The Cupp sisters, proud owners of the Double Cupp Diner. Prudie, the more sentimental of the two sisters sings the torch song “The Best Man,” while Rhetta lays down the law with her fiery “Be Good or Be Gone.” The two create a melancholy moment with the surprisingly tender song “Sister,” but not before explaining what it is a waitress want, “Tips.”

These women have phenomenal voices and acting abilities. The Cupp Sisters also provided percussion by way of salt boxes, washboards, pie tins, basically anything that is handy and could make a sound.

As to the boys, they not only pump gas and fix cars, but they are also accomplished instrumentalists. Ian Paul Custer on rhythm guitar as Jim, is our tour guide and leader of the Pump Boys. He engages the audience with his down-home charm whether he’s singing about “Taking it Slow” or reminiscing about childhood memories with his "Mamaw."

On lead guitar is the handsome heartthrob Jackson played by the equally handsome Billy Rude. His “Mona“ is a hilarious but sweet crush on a Walmart clerk. His energy is infectious as is his comedic timing. Rafe Bradford is pump boy Eddie. What makes Eddie such a fun character is he seldom speaks but says a great deal with his facial expressions while playing his bass guitar. L.M (Ladies Man) is the co-owner of the filling station, a role played for everything it’s worth by Frederick Harris, a first-rate musical comedy actor. One of the funniest songs is done by LM. I won’t spoil it by giving it away.

"Pump Boys and Dinettes” is at its best when the entire company is working together. Thanks to Music Director Robert Reddrick, Choreographer/Costume & Wig Designer Rueben Echoles, and Director Daryl Brooks, they work together beautifully. As a gift to the original creators, I suggest a brand new 40th anniversary cast album. This deserves to be heard more than once.

About the set: If you’re like me and you peek into a diner before going in, you would have noticed a picture of that country western star Lil Nas X hanging on the wall. It's a safe bet the original Double Cupp Cafe would not be listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book published by Victor Hugo Green for African American travelers, on seeing Lil Nas X, that prop immediately signaled to me that this wasn’t my grandaddy’s “Pump Boys and Dinettes” – this was gonna be something different.

In fact the set for Porchlight’s production of “Pump Boys & Dinettes” is outright gorgeous. This set was so fully realized, I could smell the coffee coming from the kitchen. Going out on a limb, it’s probably the best set you’re going to see this season. An explosion of color and neon lights, all beautifully lit by Denise Karczewski, the view of Sydney Lynne’s 1950’s retro art deco diner and filling station is worth the price of admission. Karczewski changes the lighting design from song to song, creating a different effect depending on the tempo and subject of the number.

Porchlight Theatre's Pump Boys & Dinettes is at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn through December 12. 
Created by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, Jim Wann Directed by Daryl Brooks
Music direction by Robert Reddrick
Choreographed by Rueben D. Echoles
Thursdays at 7 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 3 pm and 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
Thru December 12th

Josephine Baker leapt from the Harlem Renaissance via the Paris Folies Bergère to become a global phenomenon, the first black international superstar.

Consider this: Baker’s fame was so great in her day among African-Americans, that Coretta King immediately appealed to her to guide the U.S. Civil Rights Movement in the wake of Martin Luther King’s assassination. Born in 1906, Baker died in 1975 - yet she is vaguely remembered, if at all.

Black Pearl: A Tribute to Josephine Baker helps remedy that, ably recounting the trajectory of her stardom. Baker may have lived too big a life character to fit on any stage (she was style-setter, movie star, civil rights activist, even an agent for the French Resistance in World War II) but writer and director Daryl Brooks and the high-energy ensemble cast have gotten enough of the high and low points of her life to build a great show, with special emphasis on her rollicking dancing style.

Two women perform the role of Baker – Joan Ruffin as the Older Josephine largely plays narrator; Aerial Williams - a great dancer and with a lovely voice - is the Younger Josephine.

Baker really did it all – singing, dancing, movies. Arguably Baker was the first global personality, driving fashion trends (her hair style was widely copied), dispensing lifestyle advice in women’s magazines – think Gwyneth Paltrow, Kardashians, Oprah, with a touch of Grace Jones. Baker kept a pet cheetah, and later in life adopted a brood of children from different countries, housing them in the palatial chateau her wealth afforded.

She was first brought to Europe by the French under a government-sponsored cultural program, and became an overnight sensation during a period when France was colonizing Africa. By today’s standards some of her signature performance expressions might not be judged politically correct, but Baker’s artistic influences were segregated minstrel shows, where blacks performed in exaggerated black-face, and jazz-infused free-form dance was the norm.

Her hard-scrabble life of poverty and abuse growing up in St. Louis is captured well in Brook’s script, especially her awakening to music and dance as a teenaged girl. The choreography in Black Pearl (Baker was known by that name) mines Baker’s movies and the historical record to accurately portray contemporary dance styles. To the French, Baker was a genre-busting exotic, as she created a romanticized, imagined portrayal of African natives in their new colonies.

Her famous Banana Dance is carefully rendered on the Black Ensemble stage. Though Europe had its racial and cultural prejudices, it did not have Jim Crow laws like the U.S. – rules that barred Baker from staying at 36 hotels on a return U.S. tour celebrating her global stardom. Her mother had to sit in the balcony section for blacks. Baker renounced her U.S. citizenship and became a French citizen. But on her next U.S. tour she successfully set her contract to require venues to be integrated, and her mother sat in the front row at Carnegie Hall.

As she matured into a style icon, Baker evolved in to a chanteuse, and several of the songs are performed in French during Black Pearl. One show stopper, a transition right before intermission, has Williams’ young Josephine sing a love song to France, with Ruffin’s older Josephine repeating the lyrics in English. It is very affecting.

Like most Black Ensemble productions, the live music backing is excellent, able to swing through all the stylistic periods. The script is occasionally wooded in scenes from later years, but it makes all the points that matter – and keeps the focus on the performance art. Running through June 18, Black Pearl at Black Ensemble Theater is highly recommended.

A dazzling high-energy jukebox musical with history and astonishing talent, Black Ensemble Theatre's “Men of Soul” is sure to be a smash-hit! Brimming with electrifying artistry, the show brings to mind another long-running Chicago musical favorite “Million Dollar Quartet”, which features an array of 1950’s icons. “Men of Soul” shares the delicious romp through iconic American music history, featuring stunning replications of some of our most beloved performers and songwriters through virtuosic performances and upbeat entertainment!

“Men of Soul” celebrates the passion and power of musicians who triumphed over personal and social struggles to achieve success through song. Featuring a hilarious, spot-on, rousing rendition of Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets”, an incredibly energetic performance by Kyle Smith as Prince with “Purple Rain”, and including singing so remarkably similar to the original artist Ray Charles that I thought “Georgia On My Mind” was lip-synced! Dancing as only James Brown can in “Sex Machine”, crooning “On the Wings of Love” and “A Whole New World”, and rocking away to Billy Joel’s “My Life” and a medley of Bill Withers favorites such as “Lean on Me” and the unforgettable “Ain’t No Sunshine”, makes “Men of Soul” a summer performance to enjoy and remember!

I was especially impressed by the director and writer of “Men of Soul”, Daryl D Brooks. Seamless transitions, exciting lighting displays that incorporated the entire audience, and impeccable casting and musical direction brings this hilarious, high energy show to the pinnacle of success! Associate Director of Black Ensemble Theater, I look forward to the entertainment Mr. Brooks will bring the Chicago community in the future!

“Men of Soul” is the perfect summer show to bring friends and family to see, playing all through the month of August! Tickets can be found at www.blackensemble.org or by calling (773) 769-4451, with discounts for students, seniors and groups. Valet parking available.

Tw@birunjibaby