The Black Rep’s 49th season gets underway this week, and the slate ranges from laughs to women’s health, history to Shakespeare—with a twist.
First up: Dance on Widow’s Row by Samm-Art Williams, January 7–25 at the Edison Theatre on Washington University’s campus. “We chose it because it is a hilarious comedy,” says Black Rep founder and producing director Ron Himes. “It’s the story of four wealthy women, widows, who buried nine husbands between them.” Their prolific widowhood is cause for some suspicion among the townsfolk. “They all live on the same street, which has become known as Widow’s Row,” Himes explains. “Men don’t walk—men don’t even ride down Widow’s Row.”
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Despite their morbid reputations, one of the widows prevails upon the dashing local deacon to come by with some friends (handsome and eligible, of course) for an evening of socializing and cocktails. The fellas, scared half to death, attempt to conquer their fears, and hilarity ensues. The costumes and set are great fun, says Himes, reflecting the comfortable settings that the wealthy women inhabit. “Magnolia is hosting the evening, and she’s got a very nice home, very comfortable,” he says. “Everybody is anxious—it’s the first time in a long time that the women have had dates.” The men, of course, have other anxieties.
Next up: The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body by Lisa B. Thompson. The production, February 4–March 1 at A. E. Hotchner Studio at Wash U, is a choreopoem featuring spoken word, music, and movement. Two actors play the main character in different phases of her life, and the creative team is entirely women. “The playwright says it’s a love letter to Black women and their families,” says Himes.
Flyin’ West by Pearl Cleage is the season’s designated Sophisticated Ladies production, a designated giving initiative that always features a Black female playwright. It’s at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center from March 11-29. “Flyin’ West is about a group of Black women who migrate from the South escaping racism and oppression,” says Himes. “They moved and established the town of Nicodemus in Kansas, so this is the story of the great Western migration.”
Fat Ham by James Ijames wraps the season May 20–June 7 at the Edison. It’s an updated interpretation of Hamlet. “It’s an interesting take on the Hamlet tale, but it’s also the 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama,” says Himes. The main character is a queer Black college student named Juicy. The ghost of his murdered father visits him at the picnic in celebration of his mother’s wedding to his uncle. Against this familiar backdrop, Juicy and his family take on issues of sexuality, personal conflict, and coming of age.
Each production will have at least one talkback during its run. Himes says he expects especially high interest in The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body and plans to bring on resources relating to women’s health for that particular show.
The season’s storytelling incorporates diverse viewpoints in a cohesive way. “I think when people see the whole season and have a moment to reflect in it, they’ll see the connections and the through line that runs through our 49th season,” says Himes.
