The cast of “Bocking.” Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Contemporary American theatre these days is a constantly changing, shape-shifting, amorphous, on a slippery slope that slips up, down, and sideways, with no topic taboo, no far-flung idea flung too far, and no limit off limits. One of the best examples of contemporary theatre’s crazy-quilt, boundary-stretching that I have seen in ages is the current offering, “Bocking,” at Baltimore Center Stage.
…one of the funniest pieces I’ve seen in a long time, all the more noteworthy because there are some serious themes going on despite the hilarity. Preston Crowder manages to marry these disparate elements with a fine, professional eye.
I can’t begin to imagine the thought processes that led to the creation of this piece. In what alternate universe were these ideas formulated to take on a subject rarely tackled in mainstream theatre? Yes, there was “God of Carnage” which used the same trope of parents settling differences into which their children had brought them. But that was a dark comedy at best, exposing inner conflicts and entirely human foibles through the lens of two, Upper West Side yuppies revealing their darker sides to themselves and each other. “Bocking” is on a whole other level. The secrets exposed here are at the root of marital issues that threaten to shake the very foundations of the two couples involved. Each has its own baggage: one involving physical intimacy, and the other racial disparity. Weird? You betcha. Another writer might have injected more pathos and less humor. I’m so happy with this writer’s choices, because some of the topics broached in “Bocking” venture into areas I don’t even discuss with myself.
The play deals with two sets of parents whose children have an altercation on the playground. When one of the kids is overheard saying something to the other that can only be described as pornographic, the parents are all summoned to discuss the situation with the kids’ first-grade teacher. During the course of that meeting, accusations fly unchecked despite the teacher’s best efforts to keep things civil. Lawsuits are threatened, social media has a field day after videos of the meeting are posted by both sides, and the general public relishes this tawdry situation deteriorating in real time. And, guess what? This all happens within a script that packs more hilarity into each interaction than I would have thought possible. After all the secrets are out in the open, the climactic end of the play—and I use that word deliberately—left me with one burning question: What happened to the chicken? Don’t ask—you have to go see the play for yourself.
In a piece as satirical, outrageous, and currently relevant as this, and one unafraid to bring kink out of the closet while addressing racial themes close to the heart, playwright Preston Crowder has offered one of the most imaginative visions of contemporary society to come down the theatrical path of late. Originally written as his master’s thesis at The New School for Drama in New York City, the play began garnering attention—particularly that of noted Emmy Award winner Lena Waithe. What a coup that the world premiere is happening in our own backyard, right here in Baltimore. The pairing seems natural. Baltimore is as weirdly wonderful, funkily earthy, and brilliantly individualistic as any city I know—and I know plenty. “Bocking” is not set specifically in Baltimore, but it certainly could be. The city and the play have those qualities in common. Crowder, who told The Baltimore Banner that he wants to “push the boundaries of how we normalize sex on stage,” not only pushed the boundaries—he blew them up. Using the artifice of “things children should never say or even think about,” he drives the point home—in spades.
Director Stevie Walker-Webb has taken this material and run with it so hard that it leaves smoke trails in its wake. In less skillful hands, this could have been an unmitigated disaster—full-tilt chaos. With Walker-Webb at the helm, it comes together like clockwork. Scenes flow at breakneck speed for most of the 90-plus minutes, sometimes actually leaving me breathless—though that could be from the belly laughs chasing one another through the well-written dialogue. The entire creative team brings its A-game to this production. Studio Bent’s scenic design is a bright and colorful, a split-level candy box depicting the various locales efficiently. From classroom to bedroom to dining and living areas, it’s all there. The colors are nicely illuminated by Shannon Clarke’s innovative lighting designs, which play quite nicely with Orla Long’s perfectly coordinated costumes (Gurl, those hats!) I don’t usually make a practice of calling out the intimacy director, but Kaja Dunn deserves at least a couple of finger snaps for her physically challenging body configurations. Think the gameTwister on steroids. I couldn’t imagine some of those contortions, let alone get my body into them. I got a charley horse just looking at them.
There is not a weak link anywhere on that stage. Lance Coadie Williams is everything a reverend who specializes in gay exorcisms should be, from his Rev. Al Sharpton ’do to the lime-green suit with lavender highlights. He is big, booming, and bombastic as a Baptist preacher on a Sunday morning.
Gotta high-five Adrienne C. Moore, whose comedic timing is so spot-on as she switches costumes and emphasis to become the one person with enough good sense to get these mixed-up, hot messes to pull themselves together and act like they’ve got some sense.
Christopher Sears is terrific as the only White character, Peer Day. Never crossing the line into overt racism, he nonetheless has the thankless role of playing the uninformed and unenlightened half of an interracial couple whose partner is a Black, trans woman. He is funny as hell in his ignorance, and you can’t help but forgive him.
As Javon Wing, Blake Morris is just the right amount of uptight, righteous, and reluctant sexual explorer. It doesn’t hurt that he’s easy as hell on the eyes. He can crank up the comedy quotient with the best of them, though I would love to see him in anything by August Wilson—or Shakespeare, for that matter. The gentleman is a fine actor on any level.
Rebecca L. Hargrove as Tiana Wing immediately struck me as a Black Barbie, all lashes and high heels, with an impossibly narrow waist and cascading blond tresses. It takes an especially talented actor to take the audience well beyond that superficial assessment and show us her acting chops at their best. She can go from bougie debutante to “Don’t make me come out these earrings and whip your behind” in about 10 seconds flat. The lady knows her craft.
Sis Thee Doll—doncha’ just love that name?—is probably the most grounded of the quartet. While she doesn’t have as much comedy, she brings her best to every zinger. Her sincerity when she’s trying to explain to her White partner how important it is that he show her the respect she deserves—all day, every day—is painfully obvious. The actor believes every word and makes us believe it just as much.
Kalen Allen is a walking bundle of joy. He doesn’t twitch but he is so kinetic with his energy that it looks like at any moment he may just achieve lift-off. He gets more energetic mileage out of his eyebrows than many actors do with their whole face. Which makes it more remarkable that in his quiet moments of introspection it’s still easy to see the emotion. A true talent, a real actor, and I would love to see his next moves.
“Bocking” is one of the funniest pieces I’ve seen in a long time, all the more noteworthy because there are some serious themes going on despite the hilarity. Preston Crowder manages to marry these disparate elements with a fine, professional eye. Don’t get me started on the chicken. Told you once, you have to go see the show for that. Baltimore Center Stage has once again reminded us that it is one of the best venues in the Mid-Atlantic for quality theatre that I would pit against any from here to Broadway and back. The final word (I wish I had thought of it) is “Bock, Bock, you mutharcluckers!”
Running Time: One hour and 30 minutes with no intermission.
Advisory: Mature audiences only. Contains EXPLICIT content and is very risqué. It’s also laugh-out-loud funny, deeply real, and confronts feelings of guilt and shame surrounding sex.
“Bocking” has been extended through September 13, 2026 at Center Stage, 700 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. In association with The New Group. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the Box Office at 410. 332.0033, or go online.
