Seven Guitars -Milwaukee Rep
As we travel from Chicago, Indiana, New York, and Wisconsin, we journey north again to The Milwaukee Rep to review Seven Guitars, the fifth play in playwright August Wilson's ten plays known as The Pittsburgh Cycle, set in each decade of the 20th century.
From the backyard home where Vera, Lousie, and Hedley lived, the play focuses on seven African-American characters in the year 1948, sharing flashbacks that begin and conclude around the funeral of Floyd "Schoolboy" Barton, who is coming back into the life of Vera, after serving a 90-day stint in a workhouse on a trumped-up charge. He was a Blues singer whose fortunes changed when Savoy Records wanted to discuss him doing more recordings after his song, "That's All Right." became a hit. Floyd wants Canewell and Red to return to Chicago; however, Canewell is reluctant due to past bad experiences in Chicago. He also wants Vera to come with him, but she is upset about his first visit to Chicago, where he abruptly left with another woman.
This rag to seeking the riches of fame and fortunes is a powerful production that theater lovers will thoroughly enjoy. This intense and enthralling storyline is part of Wilson's most splendid method of putting racism front and center in the minds of Americans. His plays highlight the black man's continual fight for self-acceptance as he seeks to understand why he is not seen as an equal to his white counterpart. Like, the rooster in this play represents the manhood of the black man and what he has to endure each day, working hard but receiving no appreciation or acknowledgment.
“Everybody got a time coming; can’t nobody say that don’t have a time coming.”
Word for word, August Wilson's play describes the historical disapproval the world had against the black man and the pain of the black woman who seeks to provide the nurturing love he needs. The black woman often gives him love, food, and shelter from a world that places him in the cold; love is unreciprocated because he can't truly accept her love without removing the rejection he feels from the world. Still, she is neglected and rejected because he not only has the desire and the right to be equivalent to the white men, he needs to be seen by his peer, his parents, and his woman. Without it, he feels like the rooster, waiting to be cut down from his throne.
Parson vividly brings this masterpiece of Wilson's story to life by always finding and fitting the ideal cast together to astonishingly display and demonstrate the right amount of love, pain, joy, and struggles the African-Americans endured. The cast features Dimonte Henning (Floyd), Kierra Bunch (Vera Doston), Kevin Brown (Hedley), Louise (Marsha Estell), Vincent Jordan (Canewell), Saran Bakari (Ruby), and Bryant Bentley (Red Carter). All of them were superb; however, I love seeing the growth of Jordan, coming from Black Ensemble under the direction of Parson. Brown, a native of August Wilson Hill District, was brilliant as Hedley. He struggled with trusting anyone and believed one day Buddy Bolden, a famous trumpet player, would appear and give him enough money to buy a plantation. Bentley and Henning mastered their role, and the captivating performance of the ladies of Bunch, Estell, and Bakari made this three hours and fifteen minutes production a joyous night of great theater.
Let's Play Theatrical Review Highly Recommends Seven Guitars.
Milwaukee Repertory Theater
August Wilson's Seven Guitars
Written by August Wilson
Directed by Ron OJ Parson
March 7 – April 2, 2023
