Now, this isn’t the greatest or most professional performance I’ve ever seen in this area, nor is it the best script or best set… but it isn’t too far off the mark. My eavesdropping ears couldn’t hear anyone in the audience that wasn’t saying good things, other than remarks about the length. It is too long, I’ll admit. But if you’re one of those people who traditionally leaves at intermission or as soon as the clock strikes ten, please don’t for this one. The third and final act is worth the wait, and gives us some of the finest performances I’ve seen.

Word on the vine is that PCT got about 60 actors at auditions for this show – quite a difference from the usual 20 or fewer that usually turn out for dramas. Therefore, Director Paul Lawrence had a large pool of talent to pick from, and it shows. For a theatre that usually has very few African-American actors, crew, staff or audience members, it’s a wonderful change to have eight very talented black actors on the stage and an audience that was about 50% black the night I went. Now I know everyone’s going to say, “Oh she’s just praising the diversity show because she wants to be politically correct.” Not at all. Go see it for yourself. 

The cast is led by Cynthia Tademy as Mama, the matriarch of a low-income family in the early 1950s when racism was rampant but cloaked in “for your own good” kindness from the white people. In the first two acts, Tademy gives us a performance that is strong, but the third act is when she truly becomes powerful. In fact, this was pretty much true for the entire cast. Perhaps they all like the third act best, perhaps they just needed time to warm into it, I don’t know. But performances that were merely “good” for most of the show became great in their final agonizingly emotional scene. 

The strongest performances of the evening were given by Ms. Tademy as Mama, Francesca J. Gailes as Beneatha Younger, and Coley Mustafa Speaks as Joseph Asagai.

Ms. Gailes and Mr. Speaks both have a wonderful presence that energizes the show.

The other cast members give very good performances too, and in any other show I’d be extolling their virtues as well, but when the show as a whole is above par, I start to get a little picky. Sorry, it’s just my nature.

Le’Royce E. Bratsveen plays Ruth Younger as a very tired and somber individual. While I agree with her interpretation, her performance was very much one level most of the time. I wanted more strength from her – she needs it, married to the man she is. Anthony Ware plays her husband Walter. Mr. Ware put a lot of energy into his role, but until the very end, it felt like it was all negative energy. I never felt for the guy. His Walter was… well, basically just a jerk. The part is written for him to be a man who’s in a constant struggle with himself. I didn’t see the struggle, so I didn’t ever like him or feel sorry for him. Basically I just wanted the women in his life to kick him out on his butt. Again, more depth comes in the last act, but by then he was almost beyond forgiveness. 

Patty Ellison’s set was excellently dressed and very detailed.

Julie Perkoski does an excellent job with costumes. Nothing was out of place, inaccurate, too nice or too shabby for the characters that wore them. In fact, I barely took note of what the characters were wearing – which is exactly as it should be. Hooray for period pieces done accurately.

Most of the time, John Wilt’s lighting design was just fine. Most of the time. A couple of times during the show however, they took on an eerie dream-like color and tone meant ( I guess) to show that the characters were lost in their own world. Unfortunately, they just succeeded in taking the audience out of the characters’ world. Very distracting.

Again, I say, I’m being picky. I loved this show. I’d forgotten that A Raisin in the Sun is funny as well as being dramatic and powerful.

A Raisin in the Sun runs through March 18^th at Peninsula Community Theatre. Call 757-595-5728 for reservations.