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Last Updated: Oct 21st, 2007 - 09:55:08 |
For those middle or high school educators who want to share a meaningful lesson on African American culture of the 20th century, I suggest taking the kids on a field trip to see August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean” at the Arena Stage in Washington, DC.
Beautifully staged by director Paulette Randall, a longtime collaborator of the late Wilson, the play is driven by a talented cast who breathes convincing life into each well-defined character. Those students who decide to see the play (particularly those up to the task of paying attention) have an unusual opportunity to learn about the richness of the African American community, the beauty of the language, and the powerful traditions that ensured the survival and flourishing of the race in the midst of institutionalized and self-inflicted brutality—as only August Wilson can convey it.
The characters in “Gem of the Ocean”, Wilson’s penultimate work in the series of 10 plays about Black folks in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, are all dealing with the remnants of slavery, having fled north to escape the oppressiveness of the Jim Crow laws.
Many of those lost souls find their way to the home of Aunt Ester Tyler. A local shaman who claims to be “going on 300 years” old, Aunt Ester (the engaging Lynnie Godfrey) carries in her brain memories, parables and sharp, witty comebacks, which she uses to help those in pain help themselves.
Running away from unseen tormentors, the young Citizen Barlow (Jimonn Cole) finds Aunt Ester’s house and tries to push his way past gatekeeper Eli (Clayton Lebouef) to see Ester and get his soul cleansed by her. Citizen is told to come back in a few days.
An incident at the local mill has everyone talking. A Black man accused of stealing a bucket of nails jumped into the river and drowned, while proclaiming his innocence. Citizen also worked at that mill, and when he finally gets an audience with Aunt Ester he tells her he feels “like I got a hole inside me” because he killed a man.
As they talk about the man who died in the river, Ester tells Citizen that the accused thief “died a lonely death. All them people standing around watching and he was the only one who died. That’s the only way he had to say he was innocent. It must have meant an awful lot for him to say that. He was willing to die to say that.”
Ester has a circle of companions that include her housekeeper and protégé Black Mary (Pascale Armand), a feisty and somewhat jaded young woman, and the ebullient Solly Two Kings (Joseph Marcell), a suitor of Ester’s who was a leader in the Underground Railroad. He carries a big stick that has 62 notches. “That’s 62 people I carried to Freedom,” he tells us.
Yet while Ester is a vital old woman, she says that she gets lonely sometimes, and “being lonely is hard when there are so many people around.”
“Gem of the Ocean” is August Wilson’s take on spirituality, with Aunt Ester insisting that we must look inside to find the balm for the seemingly endless suffering brought on by heartache, guilt, fear and hate. It’s a message that resonates throughout the play and each character has a painful personal issue that they must come to terms with.
Love will go a long way toward making you right with yourself, says Ester, but “if you tell them, they still don’t know. You got to show them how to find it for themselves.” Food for thought indeed.
Solly Two Kings, ever the emancipator, finds a way to free the slaves at the mill. He soon finds himself on the run from the law, which is represented by the calculating Caesar (LeLand Gantt), a man who proves he isn’t above betraying friends and family, summarily tossing Aunt Ester into jail for obstructing justice.
The lessons of facing ones inner demons, respecting the wisdom of the elders and developing the integrity to stand alone are beautifully conveyed in “Gem of the Ocean.” These are qualities that, if passed on to our youth, will enhance all of our lives.
“Gem of the Ocean” runs through March 18 at the Arena Stage’s Fichandler Stage, 1101 Sixth Street SW, Washington, DC. For tickets call 202-488-3300. Tickets are available for purchase online at ww.arenastage.org.
© Copyright 2006 SeeingBlack.com
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