Barrington Stage If youve attended a Blues for an Alabama Sky event before, you know the This is a play for our times. The outcome is a mix of triumph and tragedy, but the storytelling and performing, all the way to the poignant final line of the script, keeps viewers engaged. People from the rural South and people from the urban South tended to sound different from one another in the first place, and growing up in Savannah and Tuskegee would have given different voicing to young residents, but the actors in this production, as to their origins, are indistinguishable from one another, a matter which the director could have corrected. Fabian Obispo (Sound Designer) BSC: ABCD, American Underground, The Chinese Lady (Berkie Award). Costume Designer Danielle Preston has created very appropriate clothing for these charactersthough somewhat out of period style. Blues for an Alabama Sky. JULY 18AUGUST 5 Boyd-Quinson Stage 30 Union Street, Pittsfield, MA. Barrington Stage Company. He is played by Ryan George, an actor who has survived The Play That Goes Wrong and Law and Order, S.V.U. George exhibits honest charm in this stage role, and it is easy to believe in Sams conviction and his sense of right and wrong, which is only marred by friendship and loyalty. Also consider non-weekend shows, as well as post-holiday performances. Candis C. Jones directs. Subscribe today to access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access. $153. I could hear her voice in the last line of the play, and see her leaning out her window as Angel does. Adam Honor has lit the show with a bit too much staginess for my taste, and not enough illuminatioin. WebBlues for an Alabama Sky. (Milwaukee Repertory Theater), cullud wattah (Victory Gardens Theater), What To Send Up When It Goes Down (Lookingglass Theater + Congo Square Theater). Since 1995, BSC has produced 45 new works, 22 of which have moved to New York and major US regional theatres. 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Barrington Stage Companys production of Pearl Cleages play Blues for an Alabama Sky delivers a punch that pierces the decades, from its setting in Harlem in 1930, through its writing in 1995, to our world today. Indeed, its so consistently uneven its difficult to figure out whether the problem is the material or the performance. Blues for an Alabama Sky BSC casting is byMcCorkle Casting(Pat McCorkle,CSA; Rebecca Weiss,CSA). A Berkshires Summer Sampler - Smithsonian Associates July 26 @ 7:00 pm. JULY 18AUGUST 5 Boyd-Quinson Stage 30 Union Street, Pittsfield, MA. The Tony winner is also part of the producing team for the disco musical about former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos. Clearly the ingredients are there for a fascinating play. Where: Boyd-Quinson Stage, 30 Union St., To be fair to Jones, much of the blocking issues are caused by the set designed by Sydney Lynne. Pearl Cleages play, Blues for an Alabama Sky, is a gratifying celebration of friendship, as well as a heart-filled tale about pursuing dreams, seeking security, and the bargains we make with ourselves to get through difficult times. Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, Harlem Renaissance drama is a tale for our times Claire Armitstead, The Guardian, A tone-perfect production of Pearl Cleages 1995 play, set in the summer of 1930, that has plenty of resonance in the summer of 2023. Blues For an Alabama Sky is a long, disappointing 2 hours. 07/28/2023. This is typical of Angels uncontrollable behavior throughout the play. An event ten years in the making! Getting her home to his apartment he receives unexpected aid from a total stranger, a newcomer to Harlem from Tuskegee, Alaba. Danielle Preston (costumes) and Earon Chew Nealey (hair, wig, and make-up) emphasize the distinctive personalities of each character, and Adam Honor supplied the evocative lighting design. Vail, THE AMEN CORNER and THE CLEARING Begin Previews at the Shaw Festival. WebBlues for an Alabama Sky. and other initiatives. Blues for an Alabama Skyfeatures scenic design bySydney Lynne(Long Wharf Theatre:Dreamhou$e; Victory Gardens Theater:Queen of the Night), costume design byDanielle Preston(Studio Theatre:Fat Ham; Signature Theatre:Penelope), lighting design byAdam Honor(Broadway:Chicken & Biscuits,Ain't No Mo', upcomingPurlie Victorious), sound design byFabian Obispo(BSC:ABCD, American Underground, The Chinese Lady; The Public Theater:Sea Wall / A Life), and wig design byEaron Nealey(Broadway:Fat Ham,Chicken & Biscuits). $153. by Sawyer Bush. He keeps the showiness of Guys gayness to a minimum but makes sure that we never forget who or what Guy is. Blues for an Alabama Sky | Barrington Stage Only a few miles from the theater, the Ku Klux Klan was marching around the state capital protesting the national holiday. The Boyd-Quinson Stage currently features the Tony-winning musical Cabaret (through July 8). Cheers to Saks and KMR. Events Search and Views Navigation Search Enter Keyword. Still, she never spoke out to no one; she waited for her moment. By PEARL CLEAGE. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Skip to Content Skip to Footer. Join us for a moderated discussion with Dr. Gretchen Long, Professor of History at Williams College and Blues for an Alabama Sky actor Tsilala Brock exploring the cultural transition from the height of the Harlem Renaissance to the Great Depression and how it impacted the Black community. This is a play for our times. Guy steals the show from Angel as a non-apologetic gay man ahead of his time. Berkshire Opera Festivalcontinues its 2023 summer season with a mainstage production ofLa BohmeonAugust 26,August 29, andSeptember 1atThe Colonial Theater in Pittsfield, MA. BSC attracts over 60,000 patrons annually and has gained national recognition for its superior-quality productions and comprehensive educational programming, including the award-winning Playwright Mentoring Project, the Musical Theatre Conservatory, Youth Theatre, KidsAct! Cleage was a speechwriter for the former mayor of Atlanta, Maynard Jackson, and later became his first press secretary. Theater: To The Yellow House (La Jolla Playhouse). Pittsfield, MA. Blues for an Alabama Sky in Boston at Barrington Stage Company Where: Boyd-Quinson Stage, 30 Union St., Pittsfield. Select theater: A Soldiers Play, The Color Purple (National Tour), The Mountaintop (Hope Rep), Chicken & Biscuits (Virginia Rep), The Little Prince (Flint Rep). She also maintains a Facebook fan page. Logan Culwell-Block I couldnt understand it, she said in a telephone interview. | PITTSFIELD, MASS. Meg Masseron Playgrounds & Parks It is time to savor the season in the Berkshires. REVIEW: 'Blues For An Alabama Sky' flows smoothly at Barrington Stage, Brandon Alvin, Jasminn Johnson, Ryan George, DeLeon Dallas and Tsilala Brock in a scene from "Blues For An Alabama Sky. The production opens Friday, July 21, 2023 and plays through August 5, 2023 on BSCs Boyd-Quinson Stage. WebBlues for an Alabama Sky. Ryan George, Tsilala Brock and Jasminn Johnson in a scene from "Blues For An Alabama Sky.". Barrington Stage WebBarrington Stage Companys "Blues For An Alabama Sky" runs on the Boyd-Quinson Stage through Aug. 5. 30 Union Street Pittsfield, MA 01201 United States Phone: 413.236.8888 + Google Map Venue Website. Though first produced in 1995, the play set in 1930 It brings relevance to todays problems, todays world, even if it is set more than 90 years ago. Its a state of mind.. CANDIS C. JONES (Director) BSC Debut. In 1996, the production was WebBlues for an Alabama Sky Tickets - Aug 4 - Boyd-Quinson Mainstage - Barrington Stage Company (Pittsfield) Buy Blues for an Alabama Sky tickets from Vivid Seats and be there in person on Aug 4, 2023 at Boyd-Quinson Mainstage - Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield.. Louisiana Flavored Rhythm and Blues in the courtyard. CHARLIE SIEDENBURG(Berkshires Press Representative), Associate Artist (19thSeason), joined the BSC family in 2005 and has represented over 150 BSC productions. A year-round, comprehensive resources. Blues for an Alabama Sky. The St. Germain Stage season at Barrington Stage Company opened withThe Happiest Man on EarthbyMark St. Germain, based on Holocaust survivorEddie Jakus extraordinary 2020 memoir of the same name, published when Jaku was 100 years old, starringKenneth Tigarand directed byRon Lagomarsino. $153. The only character who remains a mystery is Leland. The Boyd-Quinson Stage season features the legendary Tony Award-winning musicalCabaret(now-July 8), directed by BSC Artistic DirectorAlan Paul, BSC Associate Artist and Tony Award winnerWilliam FinnsA New Brain(August 16-September 10), produced in association with Williamstown Theatre Festival, directed by BSC Associate ArtistJoe Calarco,andSteinberg Playwright Award winnerSanaz Toossis Pulitzer Prize-winning playEnglish(September 27-October 15). Theater: Clydes (Studio Theater), shadow/land, cullud wattah (The Public), Unf*kwithable (Old Globe), School Girls (Cincinnati Playhouse), My Name is Beatrice (Atlantic Theater MixFest), Detroit 67 (D.C. Signature), The Black Radical Imagination (Williamstown), 53% Of (Alliance Theater), B*tch (Page73), Everybody (NYU), House of the Negro Insane (Bay Area Playwrights Festival), Pipeline (Detroit Public Theater), Nike (A.C.T. With the appearance of Leland Cunningham, a stranger from Alabama, things change. Copyright 1991-2023 Playbill Inc. All Rights Reserved. Blues for an Alabama Sky is a play you very much want to like. The St. Germain Stage season at Barrington Stage Company opened withThe Happiest Man on EarthbyMark St. Germain, based on Holocaust survivorEddie Jakus extraordinary 2020 memoir of the same name, published when Jaku was 100 years old, starringKenneth Tigarand directed byRon Lagomarsino. New York, 1930. Add Bookmark Remove Bookmark. Our website is made possible bydisplaying online advertisements to our visitors. Angel, his love, is played by the beautiful Tsilala Brock, who sings well, moves well, and plays drunkenness with realism, and she has an immediate effect on the audience. It is a moralism play about birth control, abortion, fair treatment of Black people (Negroes in the script), the impact of stardom, and the devastation of love. Candis C. Jones will direct playwright, novelist, and poet Pearl Cleage's play. WebBlues for an Alabama Sky. REVIEW: 'Blues For An Alabama Sky' flows smoothly at The Harlem Renaissance fills the streets with jazz, gin and opportunity, but not for singer Angel and her chosen family of artists and activists who navigate the cultural and social changes in their neighborhood. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH MUSIC PRESENTS THE HIGH PEAKS MUSIC FESTIVAL, August 03, 2023, August 04, 2023, August 05, 2023, August 06, 2023, August 10, 2023, August 11, 2023, August 12, 2023, August 13, 2023, Website by Web Publisher PRO 2022 The Berkshire Edge, LLC. Brandon Alvin, Jasminn Johnson, Ryan George, DeLeon Dallas, and Tsilala Brock. July 29, 2023, By This means mood and vulnerability of character is crucial for success. When Harlem Was In Vogue by David Levering Lewis. Her plays have also been performed at Arena Stage, Hartford Stage, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Huntington Theatre, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Long Wharf Theatre, Just US Theatre, True Colors Theatre, Bushfire Theatre, the Intiman Theatre, St. Louis Black Repertory Company and Seven Stages. Tsilala Brock and Jasminn Johnson. Merit Glover he/him (Assistant Stage Manager) BSC: 1010 2023. Blues for an Alabama Sky plays at Barrington Stage Companys Boyd-Quinson Theatre at 30 Union Street in Pittsfield through August 5. She is also the author of A Song for Coretta, written in 2007 during Cleages time as Cosby Professor in Womens Studies at Spelman College. WebBlues for an Alabama Sky. Blues for an Alabama Sky Berkshire Eagle. Photo by Daniel Rader. WA'S MY BAKKIE? Blues for an Alabama Skywill featureBrandon Alvin(Broadway National Tour:A Soldiers Play; Virginia Repertory Theatre:Chicken &Biscuits) as Guy Jacobs,Tsilala Brock(The Public Theater:SUFFS; 2nd National Tour:The Book of Mormon) as Angel Allen,DeLeon Dallas(STARZ: Power Book III: Raising Kanan; La Jolla Playhouse:To the Yellow House) as Leland Cunningham,Ryan George(Repertory Theater of St. Louis:The Play That Goes Wrong; Florida Repertory Theater:Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) as Sam Thomas, andJasminn Johnson(Broadway:Aint No Mo; Crossroads Theatre Company:Freedom Rider) as Delia Patterson.The Harlem Renaissance fills the streets with jazz, gin, and opportunity, but not for singer Angel and her chosen family of artists and activists who navigate the cultural and social changes in their neighborhood.