Beck Center Takes on Mamet's RACE

This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning drama revolves around three attorneys, two black and one white, who must defend a wealthy, white executive who has been charged with raping a black woman. This intriguing and witty work leaves no stone unturned in the subjects of black / white, male / female, young / old, social class and the “guilt” versus “shame” argument.

 

The cast tackles “Mamet-speak” head on. Justin Emeka plays lawyer Henry Brown, and Tom Woodward plays lawyer Jack Lawson. They are a powerful and believable legal duo. These equity actors are a testament to the high standards of their professional craft, as they weave through Mamet’s maze of content with confidence and ease. Emeka and Woodward play off each other with effortlessness, twisting us in and out of all of the dark places both in the script and in our own hearts.

 

Brian Pedaci, who plays the rich white defendant Charles Strickland, gives a competent performance. He will leave you wondering about his true guilt or innocence up through the very end of the performance. Aungelique Scott appears as the inexperienced young legal assistant, Susan. Although she has occasional moments of intrigue, the young actress’s performance is lacking in depth and could use some more development in her delivery of the wordy text. It is possible that this will work itself out through the course of the run.

 

Overall, though, the show is a dynamic piece that will create plenty of controversy on all sides of each social quagmire. “There are no ‘facts of the case'.” Lawson explains to Strickland early on. “There are two opposing fictions. Which the opposing teams each seek to impose upon the jury. That is part of the wisdom you’d be paying us for.” The tricky thing, though – which fiction is real? Who’s really right and who’s really wrong?

 

Director Sarah May did a wonderful job using the entire space, letting the actors cozy up in the beautifully packed law office locale. They have lots of room to move about, but they are enclosed with no escape from the hard subjects with which they are dealing. 

 

Richard Gould’s set is decorated with blue walls and lots of wood furniture, the walls are adorned with “old” photos, certifications, and the bookcases are delightfully full of legal and reference books. It gives the law office setting a professional but old-school, lived-in quality.

 

Trad A. Burns’ lights give ample suspense and atmosphere to the piece, while Richard B. Ingraham’s sound design proves efficient. Jenniver Sparano’s costuming is finished and poised, with special kudos going to her fun choice of shoes for Miss Scott’s Act One outfit.

 

Acknowledgements also go to stage manager Diana D’Alessandro and technical director Joseph Carmola.

 

Bottom line - if you appreciate great writing, strong lead characters and the whirlwind of social quandaries, Race is an absolute must see.

 

The audience is invited to join the director, cast members and area experts to discuss the thought-provoking issues raised by Race. 

 

Moderator: Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready

Panelist: Former Cuyahoga County Commissioner, attorney and actor Peter Lawson Jones

Panelist: Cool Cleveland columnist and Executive Director at Neighborhood Solutions, Mansfield Frazier. 

 

Moderator: Ideastream producer and announcer, Dee Perry of Cleveland’s NPR station, WCPN 90.3FM

Panelists: TBA

 

Regular show times are 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3:00 p.m. Sundays. There is no performance on Saturday, November 12.

 

Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older) and $17 for students (with valid ID). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Seating is limited in the Studio Theater. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more.

 

For tickets, call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540, ext. 10, or purchase seats online at www.beckcenter.org. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood.

 

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Do you have a Cleveland Performing Arts related story or event? Contact KATE MILLER at KateMillerExaminer@yahoo.com.