'Paradise Blue,' An Intricate, Layered Narrative

 

By Darlene Donloe 

Paradise Blue, Dominique Morisseau’s latest play is sexy, gritty, real, funny, and complicated, making for a powerful noir-inspired drama. 

Currently playing in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse through December 12, Paradise Blue is a sultry, dark presentation that delivers on all cylinders. 

There are stories of love, success, gentrification, domestic abuse, disenfranchisement, determination, loyalty, and self-preservation.

From the story, the acting, the costumes, the lighting, the direction, and the music, and the overall drama, the dialogue draws you into a section of Detroit called Black Bottom, circa 1949 on a strip known as Paradise Valley. 

Cast of 'Paradise Blue'

The story centers on the Paradise Club, a local landmark where trumpet-playing club owner Blue (Wendell B. Franklin) faces a tough decision.  While he loves the club, he’s being pulled toward selling his legendary jazz joint, once owned by his father, as gentrification begins to raise its ugly head.  

The situation doesn’t sit well with members of the house band, who fear their livelihood will be taken away – leaving them out in the cold. 

Wendell B. Franklin as Blue

What they don’t know is that Blue has been fighting internal demons that are pushing him to sell. The demons stem from his past violent family memories that Blue swears have affected his ability to blow his horn sufficiently.

It seems Paradise to some - can be a nightmare to others.

Alani iLongwe as P-Sam

The house band includes P-Sam (Alani iLongwe) and Corn (John Earl Jelks). 

All the players find themselves in a fight for the future of Paradise. 

John Earl Jelks as Corn

Enter a mysterious, bold, and brash temptress named Silver (Tyla Abercrumbie) who, traveling without a man, has her own agenda and is not afraid to go toe-to-toe with any man. It’s also rumored that she may have killed her husband. 

Silver, a widow who carries a gun just in case something goes down, soon makes her intentions known by offering to buy the club – something Blue has no intention of doing. 

(l-r) Tyla Abercrumbie as Silver and Shayna Small as Pumpkin

Silver is the antithesis of Pumpkin (Shayna Small), Blue’s girlfriend who considers herself a “go along gal.” She doesn’t like drama and is usually the mediator between the house band and Blue.  She is the sole caretaker of the club, who has found her place in the world between the four walls that are the Paradise Club. Pumpkin loves to express herself by reciting poems of Harlem Renaissance writer Georgia Douglas Johnson. Her’s and Blue’s relationship is loving, but also has its dark, abusive side – something Pumpkin tries to deny. 

Dominique Morisseau

According to Morisseau, “Paradise Blue is also about women’s relationship to men at a time when things like domestic violence and abuse were not really conversations. Where violence against women was sort of part of the normal culture. And so it’s looking at what happens on the brink of not only a community’s changing identity to its larger city and how people are gonna fight for that, but also women’s changing identities in a male-dominated community – how they kind of hold their own.” 

Each Paradise Blue character is well-developed and stands out in their own right. Each character has a moment in the sun when telling the story of Paradise Blue. In doing so, they reveal who they really are. When it comes to telling this story, there are no weak links.

Superb performances from all five cast members. 

Morisseau’s writing is exquisite. It’s real, it’s raw and authentic, which is why the production works so well. 

Stori Ayers

Through Ayers’ direction, the actors move effortlessly around the multi-layered stage. 

Kudos to Edward E. Haynes, Jr. (scenic designer), Alan C. Edwards (lighting designer), Wendell C. Carmichael (costume designer), and Jeff Gardner (sound designer). 

Paradise Blue is a satisfying theatrical production. 

Paradise Blue marks the second Dominique Morisseau production at the Geffen, following Skeleton Crew in 2018, both part of Morisseau’s The Detroit Project (a 3-play cycle), which also includes Detroit ’67. 

Morisseau’s credits include: A MacArthur Fellowship, a Tony nomination for the Temptations musical Ain’t Too Proud, and an Obie (Off-Broadway) Award for her now-headed-to-Broadway play Skeleton Crew. 

Three of her nine plays form a cycle, “The Detroit Projects,” all delving into parts of the city. The plays span the years 1949 (Paradise Blue) to 1967 (Detroit ‘67) to 2008 (Skeleton Crew).  

Paradise Blue, written by Dominique Morisseau, and directed by Stori Ayers, stars Tyla Abercrumbie, Wendell B. Franklin, Alani iLongwe, John Earl Jelks, and Shayna Small.

On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likable), O (oh, yeah), and E (excellent), Paradise Blue gets an E (excellent).

Paradise Blue, Geffen Playhouse, 10866 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, Tues-Fri, 8 p.m.; Sat. 3 and 8 p.m., Sun. 2 and 7 p.m., through Dec. 12; $30-$129; 310 208-2028 or www.geffenplayhouse.org. Children under 12 years of age will not be admitted. 

Running Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.