Stage Review - Trouble in Mind (BAT)
Stage Review - Trouble in Mind
Presented By: Burien Actors Theatre (BAT) - Burien, WA
Show Run: February 09 - March 03, 2024
Date Reviewed: Sunday, February 25, 2024
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
When I read the synopsis for Trouble in Mind, on stage now at Burien Actors Theatre (BAT) in Burien, through March 3, I didn’t know what I would be in store for when I actually saw the show. There were a lot of unknowns when I stepped into the Kennedy Catholic High School auditorium this past Sunday, some about the show, and some about the venue, this being my first time there. The theatre experience was generally good, with relatively comfortable, though someone aged, seats, decent sight lines, and very good acoustics. Of course, I’m not reviewing the theatre, though where the show takes place does impact the overall enjoyability of it. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the cast of Trouble in Mind has no issue with projection, but more about them later. The synopsis of the show talks about the basic plot, where experienced Black actress Wiletta Mayer has signed on for a show called Chaos in Belleville, a show built around the upheaval in race relations post Jim Crow and smack dab in the middle of segregation, and described to the cast as an anti-lynching play. But when Wiletta is faced with a new perspective on working with and for white actors and directors, she starts to look at things a little differently than she has in the past, forcing her to come to grips with her principles. It’s a play that dissects the attitudes of color in the South during this time for sure, but it’s also about the courage it takes to wrestle change out of an environment of systemic conservatism and racism, the fortitude to stand up for oneself amid potential backlash and loss of work, and the empathy required to truly understand and respect someone’s plight. It’s also a showcase for some excellent Seattle-based talent.
Before I fully delve into all of the excellence that this play has to offer, I’m going to take a moment to hop up on my soapbox. This play has some pretty heavy subject matter. It deals with race in the south during the first half of the twentieth century, with lynching, segregation, and equal voting rights as some of things that the play addresses, not easy things to tackle on stage, or in any other forum for that matter, but ones that are important for everyone to face. I’ll usually note at the end of my reviews that certain subject matter may not be suitable for younger audiences. This is one of those. And while yes, it’s important to expose everyone to these subjects, there is a time and a place, and if you plan to come and see Trouble in Mind, which I believe whole-heartedly that you should, please consider the subject matter of the show when determining whether or not to bring your little ones. Some of these issues may be too complex to hold their attention, and that will result in them finding other ways to entertain themselves, potentially distracting other patrons and the actors.
To feel the full impact of Trouble in Mind, it is important to see this free of distraction. The play itself feels like an onion, when one layer is pulled back, another presents itself. Wiletta is the central figure in the story, of course. She’s spent her career working for White directors and actors, being agreeable to them in order to get and keep work, and to avoid any confrontation that may lead to her losing it. Working for her old friend, Al Manners, should be no different. She’s got her methods down, those that have worked for her in the past, and when she meets John Nivens, a younger actor of color, of course she tries to impart her wisdom onto him. But times are changing, John is part of a new generation that isn’t happy with the status quo and feels like Wiletta’s agreeable nature doesn’t help anyone, but rather it plays into the long standing stereotypes that Black people have been fighting against for as long as he can surely remember. And so there it is, the juxtaposition of old and young, traditions and challenges, Black and White. The question around what one would be willing to do for his or her principles is put up against what one has been willing to do just to keep work. Add to that the generalized group of oppressors who think they’re helping by being “allies” of the oppressed when, in fact, they’re doing the opposite, it makes sense why the play didn’t get a lot of traction when it was originally written, not making it to Broadway until 2021, despite how very well constructed it is.
A good story deserves a good cast, and the BAT production of Trouble in Mind has exactly that. Michelle Blackmon is Wiletta Mayer here and boy is she good. Wiletta is an older character, of course, very set in her ways, a successful actress of color but she’s achieved that by not stirring up the water. Michelle plays this older character incredibly well, but what she excels at here is the conflict, between her desire to avoid trouble, and thereby keeping her job, and standing up for her principles. It is a conflict that comes to a head in the second act, and when it does, Michelle’s performance more than rises to the occasion. Her character has clearly reached a point when she can no longer hold back the frustration that she’s been suppressing for much too long. Michelle presents an emotionally exhilarating performance and doesn’t hold anything back. It’s a gem of a piece of acting. Not to be outdone, though, is Seyvon West, who plays the older Black male actor Sheldon Forrester. Despite the overtly heavy nature of the subject matter tackled by Trouble in Mind, there is a lot of humor, much of that falling on Seyvon’s shoulders to deliver. His comedic timing is excellent and delivery superb. But when his character turns serious, again in Act 2 (you’re probably seeing a trend here), what results is an absolutely stellar performance, his Sheldon relaying something horrifying that he witnessed as a child, and it’s the moment in the show when everything it is trying to say comes to bear. This moment turns Trouble in Mind on its head, and Seyvon is magnificent. He and Michelle are a true one-two punch and it’s so wonderful to see such superlative performances.
And those excellence don’t end there. The entire ensemble has come to play here, and that’s important for the overall storytelling. The contrasts, young and old, Black and White, these pieces all need to be in place, and the better they are portrayed, the stronger the story is. Anthony Winkler plays the director of “Chaos”, Al Manners. Al is an experienced director, but is put to the test when he is challenged by his cast. He’s not used to his authority being threatened, but when it is, Anthony proves that his emotional fluency is right up there with Michelle’s and Seyvon’s. Again in Act 2, he has an exchange with Michelle’s Wiletta that is just is brilliant. Joining the others in the troupe are three younger actors, each bringing a unique energy to the show. Hebron Solomon plays John Nivens, the all too important character that isn’t satisfied with Wiletta’s complacency and understands the importance of the times and that progress can only be found in the challenging of authority. Hebron’s John and Star Wynn’s Millie Davis bring a fresh energy to the play within a play, contrasting Wiletta and Sheldon’s more traditional approaches to working in an environment where the only semblance of equality comes through keeping the peace. Their characters are paramount in their impact in changing the direction of the story and this pair is very good. Rounding out the younger part of the cast is Rebecca Reeder as one of the only two White actors in the “Chaos” cast, Judy Sears. Judy, from Bridgeport, Connecticut has a much different perspective than the Black members of the cast, though she considers herself an “ally”, someone who supports the others in their fight against the traditional stereotypes and prejudices. Her character has no claim to the injustices of the others, and her ignorance as an ally does more harm than good it seems, raising another good question that the play investigates. Is it better to support another by claiming to be an ally, albeit a somewhat disingenuous one, or by being honest about who you are, like character Bill O’Wray does here. Played by Ian McIntire, Bill is a more successful actor, but doesn’t put up any pretense about who he is or what he believes, what you see is what you get, and it’s another strong performance. Rounding out the cast is Greg Michaels as doorman Henry, and Eddy Bingham as Eddie Fenton, Al Manners’ stage manager and the one who takes the brunt of much of the director’s frustration. There are some fantastic individual performances here, but as an ensemble, their work is top notch.
Trouble in Mind is an important piece of storytelling, and director Jasmine Lomax understands that. In addition to casting a group with the talent to bring this to life, she’s assembled a creative team that supports the story in a very good way. Act 1 is largely the setup for Act 2, and as such the design elements don’t hit their stride until the emotion and tension picks up after intermission. I wouldn’t call Rob Falk’s lighting design or Eric Dickman’s sound design spectacular, but I wouldn’t want that here. I’d expect these pieces to be subtle, except when they need to stand out, which they do as the show progresses. Additionally, Jasmine has brought in Amy Hockman for costume design on Trouble in Mind. What I like about Amy’s work here is how each of her costumes provides depth to each character. You can tell a lot about each of them by what they are wearing, and when part of the creative design doesn’t just support the storytelling, but rather enhances it, you’ve got a winner.
Trouble in Mind is a layered piece that tackles so much more than you’d think possible in just short of two and a half hours. It’s a show of contrasts, age, race, economics, and time. The play is very well written and even better performed by a remarkable cast under the direction of Jasmine Lomax and is the perfect way to close out Black History Month.
Trouble in Mind, presented by Burien Actors Theatre (BAT), runs onstage at the Kennedy Catholic High School Theatre through March 3. For more information, and tickets, visit https://battheatre.org/index.php. Not that this production contains adult language and content, and may not be suitable for younger audiences. Also note that masks are mandatory for all performances.
