With more than 100 years of developing and nurturing African-American artists, Karamu House is more than a theater; it is a home.
It is evident from the faces of the staff and the hearts of the performers that they take its name seriously. “Karamu” means “a place of joyful gathering” in Swahili, and that joyful vibe creates a warmth that radiates and spills out into the audience.
And Karamu House, which hosts a five-show season, an array of educational opportunities for all ages and thought-provoking community programming, earns its highly regarded reputation and its national recognition as being the oldest African-American performing-arts institution in the nation.
The current production, “The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin,” is a tongue-in-cheek, clever and relevant musical about Viveca, a young Black girl in the 1960s who wants to become a professional dancer. But as we peel off that superficial layer, we ache for Viveca as she struggles to navigate relationships and life and to sort out her identity alongside “companions” such as racism, sexism, fear, pressure to conform and pressure to discover her truth.
When we meet the bubbly Viveca, she is a vivacious child walking home from school with her friend Gregory, who tells her, amidst some flirtation and banter, that four little black girls her age were murdered in a church.
At home in her room, she plays with her favorite white Chitty Chatty doll, and throws the Black doll that her mother got her on the floor. She confides in Chitty Chatty that she wants to be white, and as time goes on, and as Viveca gets older, her friends accuse her of hanging out with white kids, calling her a “pathetic Oreo.” Her parents are also on different pages, as her dad tries to protect her from any unpleasant, ugly truths, enabling her conformity, while her mom wants her to face and embrace her reality.
The juxtaposition of the catchy music, colorful costumes and clever choreography with the vision of Black children as victims of a bombing is jarring — and a sobering truth as to the burgeoning racial intolerance plaguing our society, not only in the 1960s but also today. The choice to shine a light on this reality with such a fresh and upbeat approach is the brainchild of playwright Kirsten Childs who said, “Now, as it was back then (as it has always been for Black people in the diaspora), allowing anger to consume you is self-defeating and unproductive. Which is why I chose to write a story of hope and humor about the ridiculousness of racism and intolerance.”
The cast, at its best, is full of energy, playing multiple roles, having a blast with each one, and landing important laughs. Unfortunately, where the production wobbles is in its uneven vocal performances and muddy sound. In many cases, the lyrics in the group numbers are virtually indecipherable if you are sitting in the back half of the house, and sometimes the production’s shortcomings come close to detracting from the powerful message.
Standout performances include that of Avery LaMar Pope, as Viveca’s longtime friend Gregory. Pope is a terrific singer and a versatile actor, developing his character from a mischievous boy to a young man who is both vulnerable and strong. Pope’s moving performance in the scene when Gregory is stopped by the police leads to a palpable fear that ripples through the entire audience.
Mell-Vonti Bowens’ sexy take on the song “Come With Me” puts his smooth-as-silk vocal stylings front and center.
Kennedi Hobbs sinks her teeth into the leading role of Viveca, and she approaches the character with a lot of passion and honesty. She isn’t up to the task of her challenging musical numbers, but she gives every song everything she’s got.
The rest of the hard-working ensemble ebbs and flows musically but hits all the high notes in terms of enthusiasm, especially when it comes to executing Kenya Woods’s funky choreography.
Director Nina Domingue creates a safe space for humor and harsh reality to collide and mesh to, as Domingue herself writes in her director’s note, “open the door for you to discover your truths and relish the miracle of everyday survival.”
“The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin” feels like a grown-up sandbox and a perfect place for this kind of important self-discovery.
‘The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin’
Continues through May 14 at Karamu House, 2355 E. 89th St., Cleveland. For tickets, $35 to $45, call 216-795-7077 or visit karamuhouse.org.
