Valeka J. Holt as Nina and Manu Kumasi as Damon. Photo by Katie Simmons-Barth Photography.
“What happens to a dream deferred?” asks Langston Hughes in his 1951 poem “Harlem” that addresses the suppression of African-Americans obtaining “The American Dream.” 64 years later, with recent uprisings such as the Baltimore riots, we are still bearing witness to the frustrations of blacks in this country who feel limited by lack of means and adequate education amongst other things. Rep Stage’s Sunset Baby by playwright Dominique Morisseau, is a passionately written political and personal piece that touches on these controversial points. Morrisseau’s writing is deeply rooted in both American and African-American history, as well as familiar relationships, and it is apparent that director Joseph Ritsch is in-tune with exactly how to channel the play’s explosive feel through its characters.
We are introduced to hardcore Bonnie-and-Clyde-like characters Nina and Damon who are chasing “The American dream,” but going about it in the wrong way. In neighborhoods where smart, young and capable youth feel almost obligated to turn to a life of crime in order to survive, college dropout Nina decides to make her money by “robbing n**gas” and selling drugs with Damon. When Nina’s famous black revolutionary father Kenyatta Shakur, comes to retrieve long-lost love letters his estranged and deceased wife Ashanti X wrote to him while he was jailed, he is met with daggers by his tough-as-nails daughter who is holding resentment for his absence in her life. Nina, Damon and Kenyatta struggle through a host of conflicts and buried feelings, but choose to find it in their hearts to unselfishly give of themselves in the end.
A heavy-duty play with a strong and powerful message of healing, forgiveness and the power of change, Sunset Baby is a historically relevant piece that has great potential of standing as a reminder and teaching agent for present day societal issues.
Valeka J. Holt played the abrupt and abrasive Nina, with all the around-the-way-girl attitude that was meant for the role. Holt was saucy, snappy and quite direct, but her use of proper pronunciation was somewhat paradoxical amid the abundance of street vernacular. Nina was a snowball of emotions, so it would have been amazing to see Holt deliver a more noticeable emotional build up before her crying scenes, and a better understanding behind her monstrous behavior towards her father. Could it be that Nina’s dreams of a nuclear family – one without a jailed father and crack-addicted mother under substandard living conditions is what caused her to be absolutely livid with her father? None of that was truly explained, therefore Nina’s fiery anger behind her father’s absence seemed almost unfair and over-exaggerated, given he did not consciously and purposely abandon her.
Munu H. Kumasi was the gruff and gritty Damon, a “thug” with a dream to live rich and lavishly. Kumasi was rugged, but able to show the caring side of him when it came to his son. Damon blamed his son’s mother for making him out to “be the bad guy” when he in fact was only “half bad,” and Kumasi made sure he portrayed that good guy impression during his sweet and sultry interactions with Nina (Holt).
As the educated, sophisticated and honorable Kenyatta, Jefferson A. Russell was absolutely top-notch. Russell characterized historical black revolutionaries superbly. Kenyatta was distinguished and dedicated to “the cause,” but was disconnected emotionally from the ones he loved. Russell remained robotic, unmoved and flat like his character, but quickly and convincingly turned on the flames of emotion once Nina (Holt) got a rouse out of him.
Damon explains that Nina’s fear of being robbed in the ‘hood’ is the reason why she lives with minimal possessions-which Daniel Ettinger (set design) conveyed by using pieces such as a tupperwear storage bucket with a seemingly old throw draped over it as Nina’s living room table. Julie Potter’s (costume designer) choice of Leopard print skirt and knee-high, go-go girl patented leather gave the initial and subsequent (the outfit showed up twice) impression that Nina was a prostitute, not a drug-dealing hustler.
While the piece is hard, soulful, and emotional, this one-act play superficially examines the issues that plague urban African-American communities. The cycle of broken relationships, the inability to love and trust, the heartache of loneliness and the pain of despair are all important, but deserve a bit more attention and explanation-especially for audiences unfamiliar with the subject matter.
The n-word in it’s excessive use adds no true significance to the piece, although I think it was Morriseau’s intention to portray a rough and realistic ‘street’ vibe through this language. On the same token, the essence of the play was often times drowned out by the sea of profanity, although each character remained sharp while delivering each line rhythmically and poetically.
A heavy-duty play with a strong and powerful message of healing, forgiveness and the power of change, Sunset Baby is a historically relevant piece that has great potential of standing as a reminder and teaching agent for present day societal issues.
Advisory: Strong adult language and situations.
Running Time: Approximately one hour 40 minutes with no intermission.
Sunset Baby runs through May 17, 2015 in the Smith Theatre of the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center on the campus of Howard Community College. For tickets, please call box office at 443-518-1500 or click here.
