Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

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Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom by August Wilson , directed by Ron OJ Parson

Writer’s Theater, Glencoe, Il, USA, Feb 24, 2019

by Maja Rios

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is one of ten plays by playwright, August Wilson. A play that is based on the life of blues singer, Ma Rainey, that takes place in Chicago of the 1920s. The cast was superb! The script was in my opinion, one of August Wilson’s best. I have seen 3 of his other plays and have to say that this play about Black musicians in the music business struck a heavy chord with me!

Ma Rainey is played by wonderful actress and singer, Felicia Fields, who totally embodied her character in look and feel. Robust singing and a dominant personality reflected the real historical figure.

The other musician characters of “Levee(trumpet), “Slow-Drag” (bass), “Toledo” (piano) and “Cutler” (trombone) were all great actors.
Most of the scenes take place at a band rehearsal room and recording studio. These scenes provide a backdrop for the larger issues of racism, sexism, religion, personality conflict of the human condition, the same in the 1920s and today. The play was written in 1984. Most of the play center on conflicting personalities, egos,.etc. in the music business, which is dominated by White males , represented in the play by characters Sylvester(studio owner) and business manager of Ma Rainey(Irwin) and how the Black musicians interact with their status within and without the band. Conflicts arise between management and the band and within the band members themselves.

Art as just a commodity versus “art for art’s sake. The play is both realistic and existential. I think August was influenced by Absurdist playwrights like Albee, Genet, and Beckett in theme and form. The character of Levee reminds me of Waiting for Godot play by Samuel Beckett only with Black characters that question everything…Love it!

The music also is great reflecting songs that ma Rainey made famous blues and jazz of the 1920s.

My only criticism was that I feel the play would have been even more effective in a smaller theater, where one could be more up close and personal, due to the intimacy of the characters interactions and also it was a little hard to hear some of the dialogue in such a large room, but Ron Parson did a great job nevertheless. Go see it play runs through March 17th.

Fri, Mar 8:	7:30pm
Sat, Mar 9:	3:00pm & 7:30pm
Sun, Mar 10:	2:00pm & 6:00pm
Tue, Mar 12:	7:30pm
Wed, Mar 13:	3:00pm & 7:30pm
Thu, Mar 14:	7:30pm
Fri, Mar 15:	7:30pm
Sat, Mar 16:	3:00pm & 7:30pm
Sun, Mar 17:	2:00pm