THE THEATER MIRROR, New England's LIVE Theater Guide
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MARQUEE | USHER | SEATS |
INTERMISSION | CURTAIN |
note: entire contents copyright 2006 by Beverly Creasey
THE BUBBLY BLACK GIRL SHEDS HER CHAMELEON SKIN (ending this weekend) is Kirsten Childs’ musical story of a sweet natured little girl with dreams who takes an inner, and outer, journey from naiveté to self-awareness. She has her consciousness raised little by little… then big time when she moves to New York City, “where all the messed up people go.”
She grows from compliant to defiant as she pursues her Broadway break in, singing all the way. Childs’ autobiographical romp works best in the edgier numbers, with hilarious surprises tucked in where you’d least expect them. Not only does Bubbly (the vibrant Stephanie Umoh) shed her skin: A second character throws off her façade in the show’s most hysterical moment, and there are several--- but the chief reason to see Jacqui Parker’s hip production is Anich D’Jae who provides hilarious laughs in three different guises. She snaps her gum, she swaggers with ATTITUDE. She walks like she owns the joint. And, well, she does.