The Showbuzz: Blues an appropriate song at ICT

Long Beach

The psyche of the blues cries retired from the signifier of the Beverly O’Neill Theatre arsenic Long Beach’s International City Theatre, successful relation with L.A.’s Ebony Repertory Theatre, presents the Tony and Olivier award-nominated, Sheldon Epps-conceived philharmonic “Blues successful the Night” with euphony absorption by William Foster McDaniel and choreography by Keith Young.

“Blues” is directed by Ebony Rep producing creator manager Wren T. Brown. In 2019, Brown directed “Lady Day astatine Emerson’s Bar & Grill” for International City Theatre, with Foreman starring arsenic Billie Holiday. That accumulation proved to beryllium ICT’s best-selling amusement successful its 35-year history, transferring to Ebony Rep the pursuing year.

The 2 companies person officially teamed up, with the accumulation scheduled for a four-week, Ebony Rep tally astatine the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center pursuing the tally astatine ICT.

Three women and a antheral — Jenna Gillespie Byrd  arsenic “The Girl with a Date,” Karole Foreman arsenic “The Woman of the World,” Vivian Reed  arsenic “The Lady from the Road” and Parris D. Mann  arsenic “The Man successful the Saloon” —  uncover their interior struggles done celebrated and comparatively obscure songs by a litany of folks including Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer.

“Blues successful the Night” is yet a philharmonic reappraisal with 2 narrators — Vivian Reeves quality and Parris D. Mann’s quality giving america penetration into who these radical are. However, this divided successful absorption doesn’t service the communicative telling. It neither provides differing viewpoints nor tension. But let’s look it, this portion isn’t astir the plot, it is astir vibrant performances of the blues, sometimes delightfully raunchy, sometimes heartrending.

Using the trope of the 3 ages of woman, the songs are fixed a context, which could person been enhanced by enactment with the sole antheral successful the production. His quality is referenced by “the woman from the road” arsenic a scoundrel, but sadly thing truly comes of it.

Scenic decorator Ed Haynes Jr.’s evocation of an flat location our 3 women inhabit and costume decorator Kim Deshazo’s stunning wardrobe were some ethereal and elegant. It was each genuinely brought to beingness by lighting decorator Donna Ruzika’s magic.

However, the dependable successful the abstraction was strangely balanced. It seemed the voices were astatine times buried nether the stunning unrecorded music. This was oddly solved astatine 1 constituent erstwhile a mic went retired and abruptly Byrd’s unamplified show was crystal clear, down to the consonant.

The formed shines done these method snafus arsenic an ensemble with immoderate precise almighty moments brought to the signifier by Reed and Foreman. The blues look particularly due close present arsenic we collectively effort to rally our spirits and persevere done a acheronian mates of years.

“Blues successful the Night” runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays astatine 8 p.m. and Sundays astatine 2 p.m., done Nov. 7. International City Theatre is successful the Long Beach Performing Arts Center astatine 330 E. Seaside Way. For tickets, telephone 562-436-4610 oregon spell to InternationalCityTheatre.org.

Proof of vaccination is required for entry, and masks indispensable beryllium worn passim the performance.