Wilson wrote one play for each decade of the African-American experience in the 20th century. Having previously produced “Jitney” and “The Piano Lesson,” “Ma Rainey” keeps the cycle moving along.
While previous Open Stage productions of Wilson’s work were set in Pittsburgh, this play transports us to a Chicago recording studio in 1927.
The playing space is divided into a rehearsal room for the band and the recording studio. The theater’s own technical booth serves as the recording studio’s booth, allowing the audience to feel that they are right in the middle of the action.
The title of the show is from a song of the same name that is being recorded by blues legend Ma Rainey. The play tells the story of an afternoon recording session with Ma, her band and entourage and the white producer and agent who profited from her gift.
While it does explore race relations between blacks and whites in the 1920s, it also delves more into the lives of the characters and their interracial conflict. While the band argues below in the rehearsal room over which version of a song to play, the producer and agent are in a constant power struggle above as they lay blame on each other and pay off crooked cops.
But the true heart of the play is the four men in the band, their love of music and the humorous banter as they tell stories and anecdotes that make up their rich and interesting lives.
Aaron Bomar is Toledo, the philosophical piano player who is always reading and quick to offer up words of wisdom and advice. Ronnie Banks plays Slow Drag, the bassist, whose antics will entertain you and his singing voice will make you swoon. Leonard Dozier is the horn player, Levee, who at first comes across as the party guy of the bunch who is obsessed with his expensive shoes.
But after he is mocked by the others, his heart-wrenching tale of his youth will leave a lump in your throat. Daniel Fordham is Cutler, the trombonist who is the peacemaker and voice of reason in the eclectic group. “There’s more to life than trying to have a good time — all the time,” he said.
Back in the studio, Jeff Luttermoser’s harried agent, Irvin, will do whatever he can to appease his temperamental client and is in constant altercations with James Robert Clark’s producer Sturdyvant.
There is an unspoken battle between the two that both actors handle adeptly. Then into the scene bursts Ma Rainey, played with incredible fire by Sharia Benn. Her portrayal of Ma is feisty; you don’t want to get on her bad side. She demands and she gets. And when she sings, she transports you back in time.
Ben Forer holds his own up against this powerhouse as a policeman intent on arresting her, but willing to be persuaded by easy cash. Jeremy Patterson is endearing as Ma’s stuttering nephew, Sylvester, and Tanisha Hollis as Dussie Mae does a nice job as she walks the fine line between where her true allegiances lie.
Kudos to director Donald L. Alsedek for once again bringing the beautiful words of August Wilson to life at Open Stage and to his fine cast who deliver a play that is entertaining and informative.
As Ma Rainey said: “You don’t sing to feel better, you sing to understand life. This would be an empty world without the blues. I try to fill it up.”
There was a reason she was called the mother of the blues.
IF YOU GO:
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday through Feb. 25. Open Stage of Harrisburg, 223 Walnut St., Harrisburg. Tickets: $29, $21 students. Info: 717-6736 or openstagehbg.com.
Dave Olmsted can be reached at djolmste@hacc.edu.
April 10, 2012
Donald Braswell II has landed the lead part of Cornelius in a new musical which is debuting in the famous Living Waters Theater in Ronks, Pennsylvania on June 15, 2012. Ronks (outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is in the heart of beautiful Amish country.
The Living Waters Theater opened in 1976 as the Sight and Sound Auditorium and is renowned for the faith-based productions there. They were so popular, owners built the much larger venue, the Millennium Theater, next door with Disney professionals and renamed the original theater to The Living Waters Theater.
They opened a third theater in Branson, Missouri, that has become one of the most popular theaters there. All theaters are operated under the name Sight & Sound Theaters (now the largest Christian musical company in the US) and they produce highly entertaining and uplifting Christian spectaculars.
This new musical presented by Life Stream and Jubiliee! Partners, The Centurion the Musical, is continuing this tradition with a "dream team" of professionals collected to make this a Broadway caliber show. The play explores the possible later life of the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, who was the first non-Jew converted to Christianity.
Cornelius is described in the character synopsis as devout, God fearing, charitable, and prayerful. With "his military status, in the play he is commanding, worthy of authority, masculine, honorable, disciplined, dignified, action oriented, world wise but loving, furtive, zealous, pious, humble, convincing, leader".
It seems Braswell simply has to act as himself for this. The part appears to be made for him. Braswellians will get to see him back on the "boards" again performing a story like he did before his accident.
Playwright and Executive Producer Debbie Orlof has gathered a mixture of vastly experienced people and talented newcomers. She met Braswell two years ago backstage at Carnegie hall when he was performing there and didn't know anything of his history, but feels he is exactly the Cornelius she envisioned.
Playing nemesis Publicus is character actor Jon Rider. Joe Myering, (previously in NOAH at Sight & Sound Theatres is playing Seneca. National recording artist Amy Petty (Red Pill Label), who was also in the Carnegie show in 2010, will be Carpasia.
International Broadway tour leading man David Whitley has the role of Tal (Angel of the Lord). Recording artist Leonard Dozier will play Gauis. Up and coming new talent Jesse Corbin is set to charm crowds as Marcus.
Producer Bonnie Bosso is the former Senior Vice President of Production with Sight and Sound. Director Teresa Nevola Moyer is Professor of Voice at Easter University and has international experience most recently in 2011 directing summer opera in Europe. Coincidentally she and Braswell performed together in an opera years ago, though they didn't know each other then.
Head of marketing is Mitchell M. Nugent who is Producing Director of the PRIMA Theater Company based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Co-producer is Nashville based Randall Bayne, CEO of Christian Music Presenters. Set designer is Nels Martin who was formerly with Disney.
Script Editor is David Campbell, former producer of Sugar Babies (on Broadway) and he is co-creator of the DOUG cartoon and Disney movies. Joel and Jason Collier along with Bill Petty (who had his debut at that Carnegie performance with Braswell in 2010) are doing the music arrangements.
The cornerstone song in the musical, sung by Donald, was written by an Irish composer--Keith Getty (with Stuart Townend). Per Orloff, Getty excitedly blessed the project that was inspired by his music. Other fabulous hit musical numbers from award winning contemporary Christian artists (Andrae Crouch, Nicole C. Mullen, Steven Curtis Chapman, Chris Tomlin, Robin Mark, LEAHY, Delirious?, Kathryn Scott, Casting Crowns, etc.) will leave the audience singing.
Numerous high powered and noteworthy professionals from Nashville to New York are advisors and mentors of the project. Interviewing Orloff, she wrote of her handiwork, "My vision was to write a play that glorifies GOD and in a fascinating way that blends terrific music and a great dramatic story about 1st century Christians and the great fire of Rome in 64 AD."
The two weeks of exciting performances of the musical are being presented free of charge (a $100 value) and is relying on donations. Any donations exceeding the costs of the production will be donated to a local shelter/food pantry, so people are encouraged to be generous.
April 04, 2012
Leonard Dozier's picture in Philadelphia Daily News in article about Weds. airing on 6ABC about Yellow Fever. Link to story In addition to the Philadelphia Daily News, story was also covered by Philadelphia Tribune, Philly Mag and other Philadelphia press outlets.
Atlantic City Press
March 28, 2012
Lliving the dream with the astounding actor and singer Leonard Dozier
March 29, 2011
Listen to internet radio with JBlairBrown on Blog Talk Radio
July 05, 2011
Up and down Germantown Avenue, people gathered to celebrate the Fourth of July while learning about the country’s past and Philadelphia’s role in the Revolutionary War. At three historic properties on Germantown Avenue—Cliveden, the Concord School and adjacent Upper Burying Ground and the Johnson House—special events took place in honor of Independence Day.
At Cliveden of the National Trust, actor Leonard Dozier appeared as the Rev. Richard Allen, who was born into slavery to the Chew family and went on to buy his freedom and establish Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. Allen delivered his eulogy for President George Washington in period costume and answered questions about his life and work.
Visitors were also able to take free tours of the buildings at Cliveden including the recently opened Servant’s Quarters. Once owned by the Chew family, Cliveden was a key site in the 1777 Battle of Germantown, where 150 Americans died trying to fight British troops barricaded in the house.
At 2 p.m., just blocks down the street at the Concord Schoolhouse, people collected in the Upper Burying Ground to listen to the schoolhouse bell toll 235 times—once for every year since the birth of the country in 1776.
John Pollack, president of the Concord School House, stressed that education was part of commemorating historical events.
“We are learning more [about these buildings] all the time,” he said, “discovering what we know and what we don’t know (about our history)."
The Upper Burying Ground was set aside in 1693 as a public burial space and continued to be used as such into the early 20th century. A diverse group of people are buried there, said Pollock, across class lines and ethnic and racial divisions. There are also “many hundreds of children” laid to rest in the cemetery.
In 1775 members of the community decided they needed a local place to educate their children, so they took a portion of unused land from the cemetery and built the Concord School. The one-room schoolhouse remains today, preserved as an historic site to be visited by the public. The second story and bell tower were added in 1818.
The Upper Burying Ground had been neglected for years until an all-volunteer group—the Board of Trustees of the Concord School House and Upper Burying Ground—cleaned it up and reopened it to the public.
“We’ve really reclaimed the spot,” said David Young, executive director of Cliveden and vice president of the board of the Concord School.
Young said there is strong a connection between Cliveden, Concord, and the Johnson House, which was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
“All three of these structures were built by the same person (John Johnson), and he’s buried right over there,” Young said, as he pointed to the far end of the Upper Burying Ground. “These three buildings were here the day the Declaration of Independence was signed, and they remain here so we can figure out the meaning of the document in our own lives."
The Upper Burying Ground and Concord School House continue to be open on the second Saturday of every month for public visitation and tours from 1 to 4 p.m.
AC Weekly
October 05, 2011
Song of Thanks(giving) Plus Eliana Torres, the Jersey Rhythm Devils, Mental Projections and more.
By Raymond Tyler
ATLANTIC CITY — We all have our favorite Christmas carols, Halloween songs, and others that are popular during certain holidays, but what about Thanksgiving?
Well, soon Pleasantville’s own Leonard Dozier will fill that void, as he has penned a new song called "This Thanksgiving."
Dozier and his team are currently shooting a music video for the song, which will soon be made available. I’ll keep you posted in this column space.
Meanwhile, Dozier is hard at work campaigning for the role of Earvin "Magic" Johnson in the new Broadway play Magic Johnson/Larry Bird. You can visit Dozier’s web site to find out how we can all help him land on Broadway.
Hot Like Fire
Atlantic City Press
October 24, 2011
Pleasantville actor stays busy
Pleasantville High School Class of 1997 member Leonard Dozier, a graduate of Fordham University with a theater degree, has been busy as an actor, voiceover artist and singer/songwriter this year.
He just landed a role in a Hollywood film called "Turning Point," about ethnic prejudices among various black communities in the U.S., he said.
Dozier, 32, who lives in Egg Harbor City, starred as African-American founding father and founder of the A.M.E. church Richard Allen in the documentary "Apostle of Freedom," which opened last February. That same month he starred as Boy Willie in August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson" at Open Stage in Harrisburg, Pa., and began his stint as the new voice for Boomtown Casino in New Orleans.
Listen for his song "This Thanksgiving," on Christian radio stations soon, he said. Leonard currently is running a Facebook campaign called "Vote for Leonard Dozier as Magic Johnson (on Broadway)." For more information visit www.leonarddozier.com
Atlantic City Press
January 08, 2012
Black history excursion
A local group is offering a chartered bus ride from South Jersey to dinner and the show Feb. 18 as a Black History Month excursion for $65 per person. Contact Robert Williams of TMarquise Entertainment at robert@tmarquise.com or 609-576-2705.
