RSS
Home
Review: Race Music (at the Beckett Theatre)
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Ceraso (seated), Jones in Race Music
Sept. 3 - 19, 2009
The play Race Music, now at the Beckett Theatre, is about an African-American man, Lebron Malek (Brandon Jones), who is applying for an announcer's job at a large Midwestern city's classical music station. It is owned by Harvey Kane (Chris Ceraso), who rejects Lebron because of his skin color.
Lebron doesn't want affirmative action to get him the job. He loves classical music, thanks to the influence of his single mom, Alma (Penelope Lowder), a nurse. The play follows Lebron's efforts to win Kane over, aided by Kane's eager assistant Caroline (Teresa Stephenson). However, Kane refuses to listen to anyone. Caroline, who had been sleeping with Kane, dumps him when she finds out about his treatment of Lebron.
Coincidently, one of Kane's advertisers, Sam King, is an ex-flame of Alma's. He re-enters her life after 20 years, hoping to rekindle their romance. Interestingly, Lebron disapproves of King because he is a white and Jewish, while Alma dislikes Caroline, who's a Latina. Caroline is attracted to Lebron, and feels guilty over her affair with Kane. Kane is tormented by a painful secret from his past that influenced his racisim. All the characters must struggle to overcome their inner demons.
Director Victor Lirio handles the material sensitively. Lebron is an upbeat man who is deftly played by Jones. The entire cast work smoothly together. The script was written by the ex-president of WQXR, Warren Bodow. It is his second full length play. Adding to the story are numerous classical music pieces, especially by Tchaikovsky, which enhances the feeling of a real radio station. The run time is 120 minutes with a brief intermission. It goes until Sept. 19, 2009. Tickets may purchased online at $18 per person at Ticket Central. The Beckett at Theatre Row is located at: 410 West 42nd Street, between 9th & 10th Avenues. The cast appear courtesy of Diverse City Theatre.
Production Photo credits: Carlo Damocles
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
