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| L - R - Kem Saunders, Dwain A. Perry, Jah Shams - Photos Tomoko Matsushita |
Still, the Dunbar Hotel stands, the white stone fenestration
around the windows and entryways are welcoming, while the red brick and masonry
blazes majestically at 4225 S. Central Avenue in Los Angeles.
On the first floor, the lanterns are perched like hungry
birds staring through the arch windows. And the “Hotel Dunbar” sign, perched a rusty red
brown, is still visible on the northeast corner between the melancholy third
and the jazzy diabolical fourth floors.
Magnificently built by skilled African Americans tradesmen in
the year 1928 and financed by the black community leaders – John and Vada Somerville,
this was a hotel where “Negros” could stay in segregated Los Angeles.
Today the wayward branches of a ficus tree limit the view of
the inhabitants peering down on South Central Avenue. The branches propagate gloriously
where once the rich and famous came to see and be seen. Nowadays the sightseeing is all but a silent
idea from bygone days and only ghostly images from the past haunt the
stairwells. You can see them if you were
born with a veil over your face.
At one time, the hotel had 115 rooms, now there are 72 apartments
for senior citizens. The inhabitants keep the rooms quiet, a suspenseful silence,
waiting for the inevitable that comes to all things and places. The current events
matter little nowadays. What matters is
how this was done, how they got here, and where it will all end. And to that
end, the story continues.
The Robey Theatre Company
in association with The Los Angeles Theatre Center presents The Magnificent
Dunbar Hotel written by Levy Lee Simon and directed by Ben Guillory now
extended through December 28, 2014.
The play, The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel, is a wonderful historical
time capsule, opened in a theatrical setting, giving startling revelations of stories
and events of famous people in fleeting moments of time. There is a magnificent history here and where the
Dunbar will end no one really knows. By all means – and in this standing room
only performance – this was an exceptional night of theatre. The play was filled with music, conflict and
comedy and I couldn’t help but think: Is there is a bigger show here, a film,
possibly a musical?
They stand together, Minnie Lomax (Tiffany Coty) and Lucius
Lomax (Dwain A. Perry), embracing in barely breathable space. She is in her bright red dress, pearl
necklace, and white shoes and he elegantly dapper in a tailor made suit.
Lomax hardly comprehends their recent purchase of The
Summerville Hotel. But in that space, there is conflict as to the name of the
hotel. “The Summerville Hotel” is
done. Minnie wants the name to be “The
Dunbar Hotel” in honor of Paul Laurence Dunbar, an American Poet.
Minnie takes a moment to read Dunbar’s poetry and seduces
the name into Lucius’s collective consciousness until the words congers up the
spirit of Paul Laurence Dunbar (Julio Hanson) who decides that inhabiting the
hotel for the eternal time being might not be such a bad idea.
The year is 1931, in the not so early morning hours of the
day, when Leonard Lennox Jones (Melvin Ishmael Johnson), the assistant manager
of the Dunbar Hotel, is wondering why the new girl, Gloria Ann Pedigrew (Ashlee
Olivia), is always late. And when she finally arrives, he lets her have
it. Not to be outdone, Pedigrew gives it
right back.
“Old crow!” – Gloria Ann Pedigrew
“Old crow? You can’t call me an
old crow.” – Leonard Lennox Jones
Jones threatens her with a dismissal and then looks for the
boss.
Meanwhile, in the diner, Paul Robeson (Jah Shams), in fine
attire, flirts with Vera Cunningham (Vanja Renee), the waitress. Or is it the other way around? Vera unbuttons
the top button of her waitress uniform, making sure there’s enough to entice
this famous entertainer should things swing her way. She asks if he would like his eggs “hard”.
Robeson opens the paper and is immediately troubled by an
article. He sneers at the contents and sets the paper aside when Lomax sits
with him at the table. They discuss the article, written by Charlotta Bass
(Cydney Wayne Davis), about the KKK in California. Lomax says he carries a weapon to even things
out around the hotel should the need arise.
Lennox Jones interrupts Lomax and says that Pedigrew is always
late and that she called him an old crow to boot. Lomax responds that Pedigrew must
need a raise and Jones should bring her to his office. Jones grumbles his way
up the stairs to get her.
Meanwhile Maybell Smith (Rhonda Stubbins White), a longtime
hotel housekeeper, tells Pedigrew that she has got a very nice job, with a nice
employer who pays on time. But, suddenly
Jones interrupts them. Jones tells Ms.
Pedigrew that Lomax wants to see her immediately.
Maybell sees where all this is going and she threatens
Jones.
Pedigrew walks into Lomax office expecting the worse and
Lomax asks her about her outside relationship.
She says she’s in love and wants to marry Pee Wee (Kyle Connor McDuffie)
who is now in Louisiana.
“You think you need more money?” – Lucius Lomax
“Yes sir, I sure do!” – Ms. Pedigrew
Lomax says that if she can get to work on time he will more
than double her salary. Pedigrew hugs him happily and runs back up stairs.
Jack Johnson (Kem Saunders), boxing heavyweight champion,
arrives with cigar in hand and declares that he will open a nightclub in the
hotel. He also takes a fancy to Vera.
“Vera’s enough to come back to black.” – Jack Johnson
Later, upstairs, a smooth talking man, John Kinloch (Jason
Mimms), Charlotta Bass’ nephew, tries to seduce Ms. Pedigrew and this is not
the first time. Ms. Pedigrew says that
Pee Wee is coming and she wants to break it off, but oh so delicately as she
waffles into his arms. Maybell catches them purring about and John Kinlock leaves
the room.
“That boy likes anything. Is he
the reason you can’t get to work on time?” – Maybelle
Vera, making her move, gets Paul Robeson to sing for her and
the others sing as well but that doesn’t sit too well with Dr. Vada Somerville
(Elizabeth June) and her husband Dr. John Somerville (Doug Jewell). They think
turning the Dunbar Hotel into a nightclub is a grave sin.
John and Veda will start a protest against the hotel to stop
all devious thoughts and transgressions that come with music and especially
jazz, insinuating the hotel will become a brothel, like the one that Lucius
Lomax’s sister is running in San Francisco.
“Negros, I swear.” – Lucius Lomax
W.E.B. DuBois (Tommy Hicks), sitting quietly at a table, stands
and addresses the confused in the lobby.
“What would the Negro be without music?
As long as the Negro has music, the Negro has hope.” – W.E.B DuBois.
And with that statement, a blessing has been given to the
Dunbar Hotel.
Levy Lee Simon
has written a marvelous play that everyone should go out and see. Simon writes
about the creation, the selling of the Dunbar to white investors, and then the
making of the historical monument that is the hotel today. But the play ends on a sad note, the
downbeat, rather than the lively, jazzy, smoking’ hot remembrances that is
recalled. Take the last scene, move it
to the first scene, add a little bit of theatrical magic, and keep it smoking’
from there on out. Have your highs and lows but always leave them happy and
wanting more.
Ben Guillory, the
director, has done an equally amazing job with the actors and the words. This was a glorious night of theatre! The
Dunbar is more than a hotel; it is a place that has been created by the
thoughts and deeds of the characters as though they have built the hotel one
brick at a time. And moving in that direction with that idea in mind I think
would elevate the play.
This is an amazing cast for which I have a few thoughts
relating to the “one brick at a time” idea.
Jovan Adepo is
Reverend Donovan Clayton Russell, an articulate gay man who loves to diffuse
conflict. Russell is an interesting character in that he has two things working
against him, his color and being gay. But
this bothers him little. Adepo gives Russell
a lot of bravado but missing a strong conflict that keeps him from his
objective. What stops Russell from getting what he wants? And, how does his way of life fit with what is
the Dunbar today?
 |
| L - R Elizabeth June and Tiffany Coty |
Tiffany Coty does
a superb job as Minnie Lomax and Lena Horne. Coty gives Horne a lot of grit and power as
though she owned the hotel. Horne stands tall and proud. Coty has a marvelous voice, performs the
songs superbly, and does a grand impersonation of Ms. Horne.
Cydney Wayne Davis
plays Charlotta Bass and Ivie Anderson and I could watch her all night
long. She has a very lovely voice to top
everything else off and a lot of life on stage. (But you all knew
that.)
Eddie Goines does
some fantastic work as Duke Ellington, Joe Louis, and Officer Tom Bradley. One especially liked the voice of Duke
Ellington, funny and odd all in the same moment. There is something missing in his objective
and how that all fits in the end. For
example, here is a man that made the Dunbar, made it his home and, in the end,
he is the first to leave without the appearance of giving it much thought. More
should be given to that moment.
Julio Hanson
plays Paul Laurence Dunbar, the ghost who only appears to one person. Hanson does a fine job, but having the poetry
relate to what is going on, on stage, has its own peculiarities. Hanson would do better to find a way to make the
poetry work as it relates to the overall piece of the play. And how does the
poetry build the Dunbar and move the play along?
Tommy Hicks give
a marvelous performance as W.E.B. Dubois.
The characterization is subtle and true.
And Hicks movements on stage portray not one false note. And to top that off his voice is inspiring. It is through his words, his personal poetry,
that the bricks remain strong today.
Doug Jewell plays
Dr. John Somerville, complete with a Jamaican accent and a fantastic bowler.
Melvin Ishmael
Johnson is Leonard Lennox Jones and was by far the audience’s favorite and
the work on stage was very fine indeed.
Elizabeth June
plays Dr. Vada Somerville, and has a great time as Ethel Waters, saucy, sassy,
and not giving one inch of her vocal prowess to her counterpart. Waters gave the hotel a structural legacy. June also plays Jan Perry.
Kyle Connor McDuffie
comes in as Pee Wee and as certainly not a peewee because he is in fact against
type, a tall statuesque actor. Pee Wee enters as a country bumpkin and in the
end has grown in manner and style. McDuffie has a strong voice and a strong
presence. There must be more to this character and his relationship to the
Dunbar that I’m not quite getting.
Jason Mimms plays
John Kinloch with a commanding dignity and a very strong voice. There is a lot of larceny in his character
and it is visible with some very nice character traits in his performance.
Ashlee Olivia plays
Gloria Ann Pedigrew. Olivia is a
fantastic actor that shows us her subtle thoughts one minute and glorious
physical actions the next. She is a complete actress that I could watch her every
moment that she is on stage. It is another performance not to miss.
Dwain A Perry
gives a very strong performance as Lucius Lomax a man that appears to have
complete control over his domain. This
is a grand role for Perry as it shows his strengths in voice, movement and
character. That said, there might be room for doubt in the mind of the character,
doubt about the music, the people that frequent his establishment, and doubt
about losing ownership. Something
happens to the character with which we are not privy to, how he lost the hotel,
why he lost it and what he does to get it back.
Vanja Renee plays
Vera Cunningham and is an incredible actor who provides us with wonderful
lovely moments onstage. Renee has a wonderful way about her on the stage and
the hotel needs her beauty and humor.
Kem Saunders as
Jack Johnson has a very strong charisma on stage. More could be made with his desire and
ability to get the music up and running at the hotel. After all, it is his
strength and power that puts the music in the hotel.
Jah Shams has an eerie
resemblance to Paul Robeson and does a nice job with the character. Robeson’s voice was very powerful and Shams
should try to match that power. He also
plays a police officer.
Petal d’Avril Walker
plays Almena Davis Lomax with grace.
Sammie Wayne, IV
has a great opening moment in Chester Himes, a writer. It is a very somber but menacing look of one
who is about to strike with any remark that could be considered rank. Himes is at the Dunbar, but Wayne doesn’t give
us the reason why he is there. The why needs to be incorporated into the
character and that will help us to discover why he is one of the bricks of the
Dunbar. Wayne appears, at times, to be
searching for the words, which could be a natural affectation or a character
choice. If it is an affectation, Wayne
should find a way to make it part of this character. Naytheless Wayne is very interesting and growing
as an actor – always a good thing.
Rhonda Stubbins White
is very fine as Maybelle Smith. It’s the
little things she does that make her shine. She is the rock that keeps them all together. It is a very fine performance.
Vanoy Burnough
plays Minnie Lomax and Lena Horne but did not perform the night I was there.
Other members of the production team are as follows:
Assistant Director – Robert Clements
Production Stage Manager – B’ANCA
Set Design – Michael D. Ricks
Lighting Design – Michael D. Ricks
Costume Design – Naila Aladdin Sanders
Music Composer – Michael McTaggart
Sound Design – Kimberly M. Wilson
Graphics Design – Jason Mimms
Multimedia Design – Harold Sylvester
Production Photographer – Tomoko Matsushita
Prop Master – Robert Clements
Publicist – Phillip Sokoloff
Marketing/PR Director – Camille Wyatt
Development Director – Judith Bowman
Youth Outreach Coordinator – Noreen McClendon
Youth Outreach Coordinator – Millena Gay
Youth Outreach Coordinator – Sheila Dorn
Vocal Coach – Cydney Wayne Davis (oh yes!)
Choreographer – Kellie Dantzler
Archival Photographer – Michael Blaze
Video Technicians
Luis Quintero – Director of Photography, A-Camera Operator,
Editor
Ronald Ateman – B-Camera Operator
Harold Sylvester III – Best Boy, Camera Assistant
Nicole Honore – Continuity, Montage Manager
Kenneth Brown – Lighting Vendor
Run! Run! Run! And take a friend who loves the rich history
of Los Angeles.
RESERVATIONS: (866)
811-4111.
ONLINE TICKETING: www.thelatc.org
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