Alliance: a love story in black and white by Alice Childress

THE BASICS: Wedding Band: A Love Story in Black & White by Alice Childress at Ujima Theater Company’s Lorna C. Hill Theatre, 429 Plymouth Avenue, Buffalo; Thursday to Sunday, May 9 to 19; for tickets — www.simpletix.com/e/wedding-band or call 716-281-0092

Miniature sketch: A spellbinding story from one of the most important playwrights of the modern era. Set in 1918 in the Deep South during the influenza epidemic, Alice Childress’s rarely produced 1966 masterpiece is one of the most revealing interracial love stories in American drama. The play traces a devoted couple’s caustic confrontations with anti-miscegenation laws, vicious family racism, community disapproval, deadly illness and their own long-buried feelings.

DURATION: 2 hours and a 10-minute intermission

THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY AND THE PRODUCTION:

Alice Childress wrote Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White in 1962, and because interracial love was still such an incendiary subject at the time, Childress was unable to stage it in New York. The play premiered in 1966 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and, finally, in 1972, it was performed in New York at the New York Shakespeare Festival – directed by Ms. Childress with Joseph Papp. When Wedding Band was filmed for television in 1974, many networks refused to air it.

Wedding Band is a captivating play with a surprisingly modern focus on women. Each of the female characters has a different point of view and their own way of dealing with the obstacles they encounter in the world around them. And the issues that affect them, including racism, classism, gender and xenophobia, are still relevant today.

Sarah Norat-Phillips’ direction is exquisite – powerful, sensitive and natural. Curtis Lovell’s decor is realistic and well detailed. And Jennifer Simpson’s costumes are perfect. No corners have been cut here.

In the multi-dimensional lead role of an intelligent and lonely person who struggles to live a happy life despite dead ends, injustices and contradictions, Gabriella McKinley as Julia is glorious! She is captivating, warm and very human. I’ve seen a lot of good productions throughout WNY this season and I’m not in a position to give out any awards, but, if I could, I would vote for Ms. McKinley for best actress in a drama of the theater season.

There is admirable ensemble work from the rest of the cast. Ben Caldwell gives 100% to the difficult role of Julia’s well-meaning but heartbroken lover caught in the web of racism. Mary Moebius is strong as her harsh and bitter mother, and Tanika Holmes is very amusing as the busy landlady. Phil Knoerzer is perfectly despicable as the racist salesman. The two cheerful little girls are Nyeelah Broughton and Claire Takacs. And Nelson is played with both humor and desperation by Cordell Hopkins.

The women of the neighborhood are particularly touching and each of them achieves their moment in the spotlight – Jacqueline Cherry is a serious Lula who relies on religion to help her cope and Nathania Sampiao is the adorable Mattie – who makes a huge effort to get by despite numerous strikes. against her.

All the elements of good theater have come together successfully here – a credit to director Sarah Norat-Phillips. This is a splendid production of an important play.

*BUFFALO HERD (Notes on scoring system)

A BUFFALO: It means trouble. A terrible play, a very flawed production, or both. Unless there is a truly compelling reason why you are attending (i.e. you are the parent of someone attending), avoid this show.

TWO BUFFALOES: Fair, but no big shakes. Either the production is quite far from the base, or the part itself is problematic. Unless you’re the type of person who’s content to go to the theater, you might look for something else.

THREE BUFFLES: I still have my problems, but it’s a damn good night at the theater. If you don’t go with high expectations, you’ll probably be delighted.

QUATRE BUFFALOS: The production and the play are of high caliber. If the genre/content suits you, I would make a real effort to attend.

FIVE BUFFALOS: Truly superb, a rare note. Comedies that leave you speechless, dramas that truly touch the heart. As long as it’s the kind of show you like, you’d be a fool to miss it!