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REVIEWS OF OUR
INAUGURAL SEASON, 2011
BLUES FOR MISTER CHARLIE
By James Baldwin
Directed by Eugene Nesmith
was the debut production of
New Haarlem Arts Theatre
June 23 to July 17, 2011
with
Amanda Figueiredo, Billy Lake, Brian Reese, Chandler Wild, Dennis Jordan,
Dorothy Davis, Earl Griffin, Edwin Polanco, Foloshade Idris, Franceli
Chapman, Jasmine Romero, Johnny Maldonado, Johnnie Mae, Katherine Guenther,
Kelvin Hale, Leroy Graham, Lucas Babits-Feinerman, Nathaniel Manning,
Reginald L. Wilson, Stephan Macari, Tiffany Warren, and Trevania Campbell
Assistant Director: Naya Tabia Johnson
Set Design: Heather Wolensky
Costume Design: Mary Myers
Lighting Design: Brian Aldous
Production Manager: Javier Suarez
Production Stage Manager: Tara Nachtigall
Assistant Stage Manager: Dunstan Wallace
Praise for NHAT's "Blues for Mister Charlie," first
production of New Haarlem Arts Theatre.
NY TIMES
"a new company’s admirable first production"
THIS PRODUCTION WAS
FEATURED ON WNBC (CH. 4) TV'S
"POSTIVELY
BLACK" WITH TRACY STRAHAN IN JUNE, 2011.
Our second production was:
IT
AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT THE BLUES
by Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler Ron Taylor, and Dan Wheetman
directed by Alfred Preisser
choreographed by Tracy Jack
July 27 to August 26, 2011
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With:
Dameka Hayes, Marvel Allen, Tatiana Adams, Jeffrey Bolding, Shawn Brown,
Darilyn Castillo, Gerald Latham and Nathaly Lopez.
Scenic Design by Heather Wolensky
Costume design by Mary Myers
Lighting design by Brian Aldous
NEW YORK POST
From the fiery gospel of "Catch on Fire" to the steamy sexuality of "Come On in My Kitchen," it "Let[s] the Good Times Roll." It'll be a long time, if ever, before "The Thrill Is Gone."
Marvel Allen proves the vocal powerhouse of the group, with full-throttle renditions of "St. Louis Blues" and "Strange Fruit." Dameka Hayes accompanies many of the songs with her sinuous, expressive dancing. And Shawn Brown is a natural comic, singing "Candy Man" with an angelic demeanor that makes its lascivious come-ons all the more amusing.
But for sheer sexual bravado, it was hard to beat the big-boned Gerald Latham, whose enthusiastic bumping and grinding during "I'm Your Hootchie Cootchie Man" literally knocked the glasses off the face of a woman in the front row.
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Gerald Latham and company |
Marvel Allen |
The outstanding performers include Dameka Hayes, who sparkles with confidence. Her "My Man Rocks Me" and sultry "Fever" were off the charts — be it Fahrenheit or Centrigrade. She's got moves, too, sensually showcased in Tracy Jacks' choreography.
Marvel Allen proves herself a powerhouse vocalist, equally at home with a sexy "I Put a Spell on You" and a haunting "Strange Fruit."
Crowd-pleasers include Gerald Latham's frisky "I'm Your Hootchie Cootchie Man," Shawn Brown's sly "Candy Man" and [Nathaly] Lopez's flirty "Come on in My Kitchen." That number found her turning an unsuspecting man in the audience into her love toy.
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| Dameka Hayes |
Jeffrey Bolding |
NEW YORK TIMES
Here are the blues in every permutation: country, city and churchy blues; happy blues and sad blues; slow burns and fast-talking come-ons...Lots of standout moments, thanks to a strong, nicely varied cast of eight performers. (A live band provides accompaniment.) Some highlights: Dameka Hayes’s “Fever,” Marvel Allen’s “St. Louis Blues” and Shawn Brown’s sweet and shyly lowdown “Candy Man.” ...The show's high point [is] Nathaly Lopez’s vampy-funny “Come On in My Kitchen.” She understands how to find the drama in the blues, and milks the song for all she can get. (Plenty.)
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Nathalie Lopez, "Come On In My Kitchen" |
Shawn Brown, "Candy Man" |
BACKSTAGE
As the second production of the New Haarlem Arts Theatre, this is a lofty undertaking, but the tight-knit cast of eight talented performers maintains its power throughout. Gerald Latham brings the house down with his rendition of "I'm Your Hootchie Cootchie Man," and Nathaly Lopez delightfully chooses an audience member as her partner for the romantically comic "Come On in My Kitchen." Marvel Allen carries many of the group numbers with her powerful voice, and her solo songs, particularly "I Put a Spell on You," elicited shrieks from the audience. Dameka Hayes showcases Tracy Jack's precise and simple choreography in many numbers, dancing as if she were possessed by the music and the movement. Tatiana Adams and Darilyn Castillo are equal parts demure and fiery, and Shawn Brown is the show's funnyman. His deadpan performance of "Candy Man" is a highlight.
Musical director Jeffrey Bolding keeps everyone on key while plucking away at the piano, and he also wows with impressive solo numbers like "The Thrill Is Gone." The group numbers are rabble-rousing and fun. While the rickety stadium-style audience bleachers were not built to accommodate gospel revival, the simulated earthquake numbers like "Catch on Fire" and "Good Times Roll" definitely keep everyone awake.
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Tatiana Adams |
Darilynn Castillo |
BLACK STAR NEWS
The title says it all. Come and live the history of kidnap from
Africa and see how the music thwarted attempted cultural extinction.
Oh see how the powerful music and spirit endured and allowed a people
to endure then and now. Moving, and brilliant. You won't tap your
toes or resist the temptation to jump up and dance or holler only
if you're comatose. There's enough laughs to last you for more than
a week or until you see the show again.
THREE AUDELCO AWARDS FOR NHAT
On November 14, 2011, New Haarlem Arts Theatre was honored with three AUDELCO Awards for Excellence in Black Theatre. All three were for "It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues," the second production of its inaugural season (July-August, 2011):
Musical Production of the Year:
"It Ain't Nothin'but the Blues"
Best Director: Alfred Preisser
Best Choreographer: Tracy Jack