Warm on the Coolin’ Board
Written by Shepsu Aakhu
Directed by Marie Cisco
at Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln (map)
thru Nov 24 | tickets: $20-$25 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
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Phenomenal cast bogged down by slow script
MPAACT presents
Warm on the Coolin’ Board
Review by Lauren Whalen
It’s not just the story, it’s how one tells it. The most powerful plot in the world can get lost in a dull interpretation, or sometimes worse, a slow one. Building to climax can be done in many ways and at many paces, but it’s a fine line between slow burn and disengaging. MPAACT’s Warm on the Coolin’ Board has several amazing things going for it: compelling characters, an emotional storyline, and a cast so talented it could make you weep. If only the script were stronger.
Day, short for David (André Teamer), strips abandoned houses in Chicago’s Roseland community for wire and other goods, all to support younger brother Brian (Brian Keys). However, Brian has now flunked out of college and is reluctantly, then eagerly, taking part in the family business. When a shocking incident rocks the community to the core, the past and present collide as the brothers look toward a shaky, uncertain and rapidly approaching future.
I’ve deliberately kept the above summary short, so as not to reveal some pretty major plot twists. What I can say is that Warm on the Coolin’ Board is too long. Director Marie Cisco is not at fault: she does what she can to keep the story moving, and her maximization of the small studio space is admirable. The inherent issue is Shepsu Aakhu’s script. The characters are beautifully realistic, particularly Day and Brian, and so much of their dialogue feels like authentic conversation between siblings. The story, ripped from a real-life headline, is both surprising and deeply tragic. The revelations are deliberate and interesting, and the closing scene a heartbreaker. But the exposition is superfluous and, at times, excruciating. During Act I, I found myself bored and therefore disconnected, when I should have been most engaged. I understand the need for an act break, but I feel the play could could be 90 minutes and still convey everything essential.
That said, there’s much to like about Warm on the Coolin’ Board. The vocals are out-of-this-world stunning. Directed by Shawn Wallace, these voices (particularly those of Medina Perine and Deanna Reed-Foster) take the audience to a place beyond coherent thought. Ensemble members Olivia Charles and Krystal Metcalfe showcase remarkable stamina by providing backup vocals throughout the entire show, with an otherworldly grace to boot. Jessica Kuehnau Wardell’s set design simply but powerfully conjures three very distinctive environments, and puts you right in the world of the play as soon as you step into the theater. Darren Jones makes a wonderfully clear journey as a confused-turned-confident older man, and Teamer and Keys infuse every moment with nuance and history, exactly as those of the same blood who have spent their lives together would do.
Warm on the Coolin’ Board is a tale of survival, and trying to make it in a world that gets uglier by the day. It is a play of notes (lovingly sung by the performers) and messages (both overt and subtle). Unfortunately, the play itself reeks of overcompensation at some points, ambiguity at others, and drags on longer than it should. It’s too bad, because this mighty story and formidable cast deserve better source material.
Rating: ★★★
Warm on the Coolin’ Board continues through November 24th at Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 3pm. Tickets are $20-$25, and are available by phone (773-404-7336) or online through GreenhouseTheater.org (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at MPAACT.org. (Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes, includes an intermission)
Photos by Shepsu Aahku
artists
cast
Darren Jones (Carter), Brian Keys (Brian), Krystal Metcalfe (Ensemble), Medina Perine (Nailah), Deanna Reed-Foster (Penelope), André Teamer (Day), Olivia Charles (Ensemble)
behind the scenes
Marie Cisco (director), Leonard House (assistant director), Daryl Charisse (production stage manager), Shawn Wallace (music director), Jessica Kuehnau Wardell (set design), Jared Gooding (lighting design), Evelyn Danner (costume design), Souls of Black Folk (sound design), Shepsu Aakhu (playwright, technical director, production photographer), LaNisa Frederick (casting director), Jewel Smith (assistant stage manager).
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