THE THEATER MIRROR, New England’s LIVE Theater Guide
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MARQUEE | USHER | SEATS |
INTERMISSION | CURTAIN |
note: entire contents copyright 2006 by Carl A. Rossi
Narrator (Principal) … Hon. Milton L. Wright; Voncille Ross; Danny Morris
Narrator … Frederick Hayes
Narration … Sele ‘Fana Kamau; Azinga Ming
Mary … Toni S. Jackson; Laura Montas; Desiree Springer-O’Neal
Joseph … Wyatt "Mo'gee" Jackson, Joe Gonzalez
with Voices of Black Persuasion and Children of Black Persuasion
Organ and Piano … Pearl Allen; Dominic French; Stephen Hunter, Sr.; Chauncey McGlathery
Electric Bass … John (Lennie) Bradford; Langston Smith; Tim Ingles;
Thomas Hebb; Virginia Hunter
African Percussion … Stephen P. O'Neal, Mamadou Ndiaye, Stephen Korliss O'Neal II
Salim A. Rahman, Herbert Maisonet, Jr.
Langston Hughes’ BLACK NATIVITY, now in its 37th season in Boston, remains as fresh and as joyous as ever. Mr. Hughes’ gospel song-play is exactly that: a celebration of the Coming and Birth of Christ, done with a minimum of plot and a maximum of song: hand-clapping, soul-stirring song. To debate whether BLACK NATIVITY is a musical, a concert or a mass is moot; it will sweep you up in its loving embrace and leave you as a round-eyed child learning the true meaning of Christmas --- spiritual, not material. I wouldn’t say BLACK NATIVITY is the one show you have to see this holiday season, but it is certainly the best one on which to end your holiday theatergoing.