Kecia Lewis and Rebecca Naomi Jones
A funeral home in Mississippi doesn’t sound like the ideal
sleeping quarters but it works just fine for gospel singer/guitar player Sister
Rosetta Tharpe (Kecia Lewis), and her new acquaintance and partner-to-be
singer/pianist Marie Knight (Rebecca Naomi Jones.) Finding lodging is always a
problem for blacks in the south, but here they intend to not only get a good
night’s sleep among the coffins but do a
little rehearsing as well. It’s the rehearsing that is at the heart of George
Brant’s play about two real life artists who came together for a brief period
of time to combine their talents. Their integration of gospel, rhythm and blues during the mid 20th century made
them popular with church goers and with those in the entertainment world.
Very different in their personalities, but both accomplished
artists, the play follows the attempt by the more earthy Rosetta to find a
common ground between her night-club style and Marie’s more sedate and restrained/spiritual
style as reflected by her time singing with a quartet backing up the great Mahalia
Jackson. It was a special treat for me to see Kecia Lewis in this role so soon
after seeing her dynamic portrayal of “Mother Courage” for the Classic Stage
Company last season. She is terrific as Tharpe whose bigger than life
personality and extraordinary talent is brought to vivid life. If Lewis dominates
the stage, Jones holds her own with a sensitive portrayal that brings a nice
contrast to the give-and-take between the artists. Although Lewis doesn’t play
the guitar and Jones doesn’t play the piano, they fake it expertly as Felicia
Colins (guitar) and Deah Harriott (piano) do the unseen honors.
Although Brant’s play, under the attentive direction of Neil
Pepe, turns on a gimmick and a twist that seems more than a little incredulous
if not downright fanciful, it isn’t an issue as it comes late in the 90 minute
performance. For the most part, we spend listening to some mighty fine singing amidst
some sassy talking.
“Marie and Rosetta” (through October 16)
Atlantic Theater Company’s Linda Gross Theater
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