By Katie Currie, Josie Kalbfleisch, and Percy Koontz
The raw emotion and enthralling performances displayed by The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s cast of A Raisin In The Sun captivated hearts in spite of minor flaws, and moved the audience to see each of Lorraine Hansberry’s character in greater depth. The show's immersiveness was evident in every detail, as viewers were led carefully and deliberately into this story.
From the moment Dawn Thomas Reidy walked on stage in her performance as Ruth Younger, she captured the essence of Lorraine Hansberrys’ character. Ruth’s tired yet elegant composure is evident throughout the entire performance. Reidy’s gripping performance ranged from inspiring to heart wrenching and displayed spectacular line deliveries that directly conveyed every emotion to the audience and kept them wanting more. This rendition of Ruth felt authentic and holds up fantastically in the face of other adaptations.
Reidy’s performance was also enhanced by the fantastic portrayal of Walter Lee Younger by Gerrad Alex Taylor. Walter Lee’s height is a characteristic often used in performances to strengthen his intimidating character, but was a feature that Taylor lacked. Despite this, Taylor brought forth the power and emotion necessary to portray the woes of Walter through careful line delivery and dynamic facial expressions. He brought new light to Walter beyond the content of the script. His portrayal of a truly desperate man left his scenes dripping with chilling franticness that kept the audience at the edge of their seats.
Entering the stage with an aura of knowledge and experience that mirrored Hansberry’s carefully crafted description, Tamieka Chavis’ stunning portrayal of Lena Younger contributed to the show's complexity. Chavis was able to intertwine Mama’s loving nature with her regretful disciplinary role. Her performance delved deeper into the tragedy of Lena as a human herself, portraying the character’s loss of hope pertaining to the ideals of her children in many emotional scenes.
Niyah Worthy was able to keep the essence of the carefree yet immature Beneatha, throughout an emotional range of scenes. The actor allows her youthfulness to shine, which is especially prominent in contrast with other characters in the show. However, this immaturity did somewhat stunt the emotional range and potential impact of Hansberry’s character, through lackluster line delivery during important scenes.
The adorable Alex Jones gave his performance as Travis, the youngest of the family at 12 years old. Jones’ loveable smile always made his appearances anticipated by the crowd. However, he lacked any true emotional depth in this character.
Two major selling points were the deep romantic sincerity between Beneatha and Joseph Asagai (played by Lloyd Ekpe) and Quincy Vicks' unique comedic portrayal of stuck up George Murchison, which received immense laughter from the audience. Both of the actors added their own personal touches to their characters and it made for an intriguing and hilarious experience.
The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s performance was overall a fantastic rendition of this iconic play and utilized the immense skill of the cast and crew to illustrate a beautifully dynamic and enticing show.
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