The American public is not ready to see you the way you want to be seen.-Alice Childress
By Eric George Tauber
SAN DIEGO — In 1955, Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress was slated to be the first Broadway play written by an African-American woman. When the producers asked her to give it a happier ending –and she refused- it was pulled. Trouble in Mind is now enjoying new life around the country including San Diego at the Moxie Theatre.
A sparse set takes us backstage, to the dark and gritty world behind the illusion. Monique Gaffney fills the room with her powerful presence as Wiletta, a veteran showgirl who learned her trade in the school of hard knocks. She’s showing John, an eager and earnest rookie, the ropes when Millie comes in and gives her a run for her money followed by fellow veteran, Sheldon.
“I’m friendly with white folks, but distantly.”
The four black actors have a strong rapport and friendly camaraderie. Then the conversation turns stiff and self-conscious at the presence of Judy, a white girl. She knows enough about Jim Crow to be appalled by it, but coming from Bridgeport and schooled at Yale, she’s pretty clueless.
When the director strides in, the old hands know the game. They laugh at his jokes and agree with his every word whereas the younger ones need a few lessons. Are they “Uncle Tomming” or just doing what they’ve got to do?
They are rehearsing a play within the play. Chaos in Belleville is about a young man being lynched for trying to vote. They play their usual stereotypes: Uncle Tom, Mammy, Aunt Jemima… all speaking in contrived dialect and prayers. The only thing missing is watermelon. The choices are more than wrong, but Manners has no ears for dissent.
Nick Young delivers a segregationist speech to the accompaniment of an applause machine as his character, Reynard. But the actor, Bill, is not without prejudices of his own.
Director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg has once again delivered a tight ensemble. Monique Gaffney is powerful as Wiletta, demanding to be treated with dignity and respect. Ruff Yeager is larger-than-life as the haughty and overbearing Al Manners. Cashae Monya is delightfully sassy as Millie. When Victor Morris describes a boyhood memory witnessing a lynching, the house fell silent in rapt attention.
The message is smart and hits you like a shot of hot, black espresso. So, if you’ve gotten a little too comfortable in your world view, come see Trouble in Mind at Moxie’s Rolando Theatre.
It should make us stop and think about our own stereotypes. Too often, we don’t “look Jewish” if we have blue eyes, “sound Jewish” if we’re not from New York or “act Jewish” if we actually know how to use a power drill. Like all people, maybe we could be more open-minded about who we are.
The conversation continues with post-show panels listed on Moxie’s webpage, www.moxietheatre.com.
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Tauber is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. Your comment may be posted in the space below or sent to eric.tauber@sdjewishworld.com
About 40% of Ashkenazi Jews have blue eyes or green eyes, so why on earth wouldn’t that be part of the Jewish look?
Interesting thought about blue/green eyes, and being Ashkenazi. However, this fine play is about stereotyping, and really, if and whenit occurs, Eric George Tauber, nailed the prevalent stereotypes held by whomever
about Jewish folks, quite well!
I saw the play, and highly recommend it. Tauber’s review was excellent! Now you all go see it.