The PR and theater company emails, Facebook ads and Twitter posts have led to an wide array of streaming theatrical events. Some are live and some are taped. Some are new and some are older. On Saturday, April 4th, I decided to take in three wildly different performances. I’m recording them here for prosperity and, more importantly, to keep my sanity in check. The first entry in this series has been named Seclusion Smörgåsbord I.
Brittain Ashford @ 54 Below at Home
Ms. Ashford has a haunting voice which I first heard when she appeared in the excellent musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. This nightclub aired her 2017 solo debut which featured some original music and favorite covers. She played an array of instruments along with the onstage band. Her voice is unusual and really captivating. The show was relaxed and tuneful, perfect for adding calmness in these nervous days. Future 54 Below at Home events can be found here:
50in50: Letters to Our Sons
Based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, The Billie Holiday Theatre hosted a live Facebook presentation. Ten actresses from around the country read stories by 50 Black women writers from across the world. The curatorial connectivity was to “consider both the world they inherited and the one they’d like to create.” Directed by Indira Etwaroo, the show was rich with stirring, vivid and emotional prose.
Here are a few gems I managed to jot down. “God is nestled in the rhythm of your heartbeats.” He “loved me like he was drowning.” Someone was “dressed in the color bittersweet.” Anger surfaced in various moments to effectively communicate a conviction or an injustice. “When asking a great leader why they hurt people, they answer because I can.”
The show segued from performer to performer quickly. As a result, there was a satisfying variety of voices and writing styles to absorb. The speed of the transitions encouraged emotions to build and register strongly. Occasional musical interludes from Maritri Garrett on the piano added beauty and a chance for reflective pauses.
All of the performers were compelling. Kendra Holloway and Phyllis Yvonne Stickney were especially memorable for me. As a Facebook live presentation, the audience was able to add comments throughout. “Phyllis has more voices than a cat has lives.” The group participation and reviews from all of our seats infused the entire piece with a tremendous sense of communal bonding. “This is food for weary and worn souls.” One of my favorite expressions of joy: “So soulful and so soulfilled – our ancestry thanks you.”
50in50 is available to view on the Facebook page of The Billie Holiday Theatre.
www.facebook.com/billiehollidaytheatre
Werq the World Live Stream
For my final show Saturday, I jarringly transitioned from 50in50 to a benefit event for out-of-work performers in the entertainment industry. Nine drag show queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race performed mostly newly recorded videos while practicing social distancing in the process. The evening was hosted by Bianca Del Rio (from Los Angeles) and Lady Bunny (from New York) who noted that “social distancing is easy when everyone hates you.”
Most of the queens had messages to deliver along with their performances, notably about staying home. The first two segments featuring Gigi Goode and Asia O’Hara were my favorites. I was also impressed by Aquaria’s entirely self-made music video from seclusion. The hosts devolved into bawdy and raunchy humor which often works with a live drunken audience. Here, with time delays between the two coasts, the jokes felt forced and mostly landed with a thud.
Werq the World Live Stream is available for a fee. Portions of the proceeds (and all of the tips) are going to those performers who signed up on their website to receive financial support during this difficult period.