William Oliver Watkins, Kelli Blackwell, Ayanna Bria Bakari, Matthew Elijah Webb, and Iris Beaumier. Photo courtesy of Studio Theatre.
If you have found yourself becoming bored of escaping into the Smithsonians for highly coveted air conditioning during this freakishly hot summer, why not try a different kind of museum? Studio Theatre’s production of George C. Wolfe’s 1986 play, “The Colored Museum,” truly strikes a balance between the museum and theatre experience. The play itself is presented as a series of vignettes that act as museum exhibits satirizing Black American history. To supplement the play, environmental designer Natsu Onoda Power places meticulously planned exhibits around the stage and in the lobby that audience members can view and read about prior to the start of the play (so arrive early). The audience itself, in fact, serves as an exhibit—the seating area has been redesigned to resemble a slave ship crossing the Middle Passage. The audience even has its own descriptive plaque, noting that the play is best consumed with an audience made up of half White people and half Black people.
Psalmayene 24 demonstrates his storied experience and keen intelligence in his meticulous and, often, caring direction…a must-see…provokes intense reflection as well as intense laughter.
Under the careful direction of DMV superstar Psalmayene 24, the ensemble of six sings (literally and figuratively). In his fourth production at Studio Theatre, Psalmayene 24 demonstrates his storied experience and keen intelligence in his meticulous and, often, caring direction. Once again, he has brought out the best in his actors. In the Woman 1 track, Ayanna Bria Bakari is a master of satire, bringing to life a dramatized version of The Lady in Brown from “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf” with hilarious vigor and zeal. As Woman 2, Kelli Blackwell is like a chameleon in her seamless transitions from enslaved African to a Mammy stereotype to a satirical version of Mama from “A Raisin in the Sun.” Iris Beaumier is enigmatic and striking as a falsely French singer and a living wig begging to be put on. Matthew Elijah Webb holds the audience in the palm of his hand as Miss Roj and William Oliver Watkins provides much of the more demoralizingly upsetting performances as a soldier and a white-collar-man forsaking his younger self. Even Ruth Benson in a cameo role and Jabari Exum as the drummer provide pitch-perfect performances that fit exactly as needed into the larger puzzle.
Costume designer Moyenda Kulemeka proves a dynamic artistry in her costuming of both modern-day and historical characters. Her outfitting of Webb as Miss Roj is particularly striking, with mesmerizing heeled go-go boots and an incredibly dazzling golden top punctuating the character’s monologue about their unique power. Through Kulemeka’s costume, the audience is able to feel Miss Roj’s power. It is so palpable that, when Webb puts a foot next to an audience member, he has to snap to get their attention away from his boots. Lighting designer Jesse Belsky also provides his dazzling talent to assist with Psalmayne 24’s cohesive vision with subtle yet incredibly effective color changes to indicate setting or power (Miss Roj’s snaps always coincide with a lighting change).
Although “The Colored Museum” is now nearly four decades old, it still strikes a very similar chord as it did in 1986. The play’s commentary on the type of Black artistry that is celebrated (being centered around Black pain or Black athleticism), the severe discrimination against Black members of the LGBTQ+ community, and the Mammy stereotype (among many other subjects tackled by Wolfe) still prove to be immensely relevant. While Wolfe does not pretend to know how to solve these issues on a larger scale, he does present a celebration of Black joy and greatness in his final vignette. To supplement the joy Blackwell provides in her monologue and her dancing, Power, with projection designer Kelly Colburn, fills the stage with projections of Black leaders from Nat Turner to Chadwick Boseman, finishing the play on a note of hope.
Ultimately, Studio Theatre’s production of “The Colored Museum” is a must-see for all people. It is both a celebration and a satirization of Black history that provokes intense reflection as well as intense laughter. Psalmayne 24 proves once again his staying power in the DMV as well as his ability to wrangle intimate and comedic elements of emotionally and dramaturgically complicated works.
Running Time: One hour and 30 minutes with no intermission.
Advisory: Contains references to and reenactments of the Middle Passage and enslavement; descriptions of physical violence, including torture during enslavement, violence during combat, intimate partner violence, and gun violence, including murder by a police officer; images of enslaved Africans in slave ships as well as performers in Blackface; and use of race- and gender-based derogatory language, including the n-word. Includes sudden loud noises, including simulated gunshots and explosions; a strobe lighting effect; and theatrical haze.
“The Colored Museum” runs through August 11, 2024 at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005. For more information and to purchase tickets, go online.
