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Storyline: A southern belle hopes for
a marriage in society but ends up married to a planter who spends most of
his time traveling, leaving her isolated on their remote farm. Runaway
slaves soon learn that she won't object to their staying a while on her
property. A young runaway slave girl named Dessa Rose, condemned to death for leading a revolt,
seeks shelter on the farm and the two women develop a bond that lasts, at
least in memory, long after the runaways go west and the white woman moves
east.
Ahrens'
book is a dual-narrative/flashback that sees the story through the eyes of
the two women in their old age. Rachel York (Victor/Victoria, The Scarlet
Pimpernel) is the white woman whose heart somehow lacks the deep seated
hatred, fear and loathing on which slaveholding society was based. She seems
a bit mature for the 20 year old stranded belle, but she sure is a spry 84
years old in her narrator's scenes. LaChanze (Once on this Island) is
a hearty, healthy 16 in some scenes and a proud but bent 80 year-old in
others. LaChanze's understudy, Kenita R. Miller, performed the day we
attended and was touching and delightful in the role. We heard LaChanze
perform the role for the recording of the show for the upcoming two-disc set
on JAY records, and came away believing that audiences are well served
whichever actress is performing.
The
three male roles of note are handled by men familiar to Potomac region
audiences. Eric Jordan Young, who won a Helen Hayes Award for his
performance as Jake in Signature Theatre's Side Show, sparks the show
early with his "Old Banjar" as the young slave who courts Dessa Rose. He's
killed in the first act and joins the ensemble in lesser roles, but a
flashback in the second act provides another highlight as he joins in one
of the sexiest love numbers in recent memory, "In the Bend of My Arm."
Norm Lewis, who was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award in 2000 for Signature's
Sweeney
Todd, is attractive and charming as the runaway slave that York's character
falls in love with, while Michael Hayden, who was so good in the Kennedy
Center's Merrily We Roll Along, is perfectly hateful as the writer
researching slave rebellions who becomes obsessed with Dessa Rose.
As is
expected for shows in Lincoln Center's development house, the physical
production is first class. An efficient set and effective costumes are
beautifully lit by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer. This legendary
lighting team can complement dramatic
moments and even create locales with shadows as well as light, one of the key reasons "In the Bend of My Arm" is as
intimate and lovely as it is. Especially noteworthy is the sound design of
Scott Lehrer, which reinforces the voices and establishes a balance between
the eight member off-stage orchestra and the on-stage singers without ever
drawing attention to itself.
Music by Stephen Flaherty. Book and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens based on the novel
by Sherley Anne Williams. Directed and choreographed by Graciela Daniele.
Music direction by David Holcenberg. Orchestrations by William David Brohn
and Christopher Jahnke. Vocal arrangements by Stephen Flaherty. Design: Loy
Arcenas (set) Toni-Leslie James (costumes) Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer
(lights) Scott Lehrer (sound) Arturo E. Porazzi (stage manager). Cast:
Rebecca Eichenberger, Tina Fabrique, Michael Hayden, David Hess, LaChanze,
Kecia Lewis, Norm Lewis, William Parry, Joara-Joye Ross, James Stovall,
Rachel York, Eric Jordan Young. |
