{"id":1269,"date":"2012-07-09T14:41:39","date_gmt":"2012-07-09T14:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=1269"},"modified":"2012-07-24T14:54:53","modified_gmt":"2012-07-24T14:54:53","slug":"a-spirited-and-lively-production-of-spunk-sparkles-at-cal-shakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/a-spirited-and-lively-production-of-spunk-sparkles-at-cal-shakes\/","title":{"rendered":"A Spirited and Lively Production of Spunk Sparkles at Cal Shakes"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Dawn L. Troupe as Blues Speak Woman and Anthony Michael Peterson a.k.a. Tru as Guitar Man
\nin Cal Shakes\u2019 SPUNK, directed by Patricia McGregor; photo by Kevin Berre.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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California\u00a0Shakespeare Theater continues its 39th season with a bluesy dynamic\u00a0look at love in Spunk directed by Patricia McGregor. \u00a0Live music\u00a0performed by Anthony Michael Peterson aka Tru frames the stories Harlem\u00a0Renaissance Writer Zora Neale Hurston adapted into a\u00a0staggeringly\u00a0theatrical play by George C. Wolfe, who won an Obie for its 1989\u00a0off-Broadway premiere production.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0trio of vignettes of African-American life in the first half of the\u00a020th century, Spunk is a raucous, charming, blues-infused look at love,\u00a0revenge, jealousy and the fine art of the hustle.<\/p>\n

Spunk\u00a0is an anthology of three folk tales narrated and acted out by the\u00a0characters and the Guitar Man (Tru) and Blues Speak Woman (Dawn L.\u00a0Troupe) who transform the tales into a mini-musical. This blend of\u00a0storytelling and blues makes for a spunky, delightful 90 minutes.<\/p>\n

Director\u00a0Patricia McGregor’s brilliant staging draws on three periods in a\u00a0single century–the 1920’s when Hurston’s story was written; the 1980’s\u00a0when it was adapted by George C. Wolfe and 2012, where we now live. \u00a0McGregor has granted her production the full force of music,\u00a0movement,\u00a0text and expanded theatrical space.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0three tales that make up Spunk are inventively dramatized by having the\u00a0six actors float back and forth as narrators, chorus and characters\u00a0while retaining the dialogue of the written page. The Guitar Man is in\u00a0good hands with Tru and his musical partner, Dawn L. Troupe has the\u00a0\u00a0requisite belting power to do justice to the Blues Speak Woman.<\/p>\n

Michael\u00a0Locher’s multi-level wood set provides an imaginative background for\u00a0the actors, successfully representing everything from a humble cabin to a\u00a0Harlem street corner. Callie Floor’s costumes are right on target as\u00a0are the outrageous Zoot suits.<\/p>\n

As\u00a0music frames the stories so do the two marital tales–“Sweat” about a\u00a0long-suffering wash woman (Margo Hall) who finally gives her abusive\u00a0husband (L. Peter Callender) his comeuppance and “The Gilded Six Bits”\u00a0about a tender loving husband (Aldo Billingslea) who must learn to\u00a0forgive his young wife (Omoze Idehenry) who betrayed him. These two\u00a0pieces frame “A Story in Harlem Slang,” a comic sendup of some Harlem\u00a0hustlers.<\/p>\n

Hurston’s\u00a0stories and Wolfe’s adaptation are remarkably brought to life by\u00a0Spunk’s vibrant quintet of actors. The show demands versatility; each\u00a0performer sings, dances and alternately narrates the action and becomes\u00a0part of it. \u00a0Music is an integral part of Spunk, underlying each\u00a0phrase,\u00a0plot point and conflict. Composed by Chick Street Man, the play’s score\u00a0is arguably its main character.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0essence of Spunk is in its details and in its magnificent approach to\u00a0storytelling. This production draws on a range of influences from\u00a0African-American culture; from art to modern Harlem architecture as well\u00a0as the vibrant choreography of Harlem-based Paloma McGregor.<\/p>\n

Go see Spunk–it positively sings!<\/p>\n

Spunk\u00a0plays July 4-July 29 at Bruns Amphitheatre, 100 California Shakespeare\u00a0Theater Way, Orinda. \u00a0Tickets are available by calling 510-548-9666 or\u00a0online at www.calshakes.org.<\/p>\n

Coming up next at Cal Shakes will be Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit August 8-September 2 directed by Mark Rucker.<\/p>\n

Flora Lynn Isaacson<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dawn L. Troupe as Blues Speak Woman and Anthony Michael Peterson a.k.a. Tru as Guitar Man in Cal Shakes\u2019 SPUNK, directed by Patricia McGregor; photo by Kevin Berre. California\u00a0Shakespeare Theater…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1269","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-flora-lynn-isaacson"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"