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‘The half-god of Rainfall’
Wilma Theatre HotHouse Acting Company members Brett Ashley Robinson and Brandon J. Pierce have brought countless dynamic characters to life on the Avenue of the Arts stage. However, neither has ever taken on the role of gods from Yoruba and Greek mythology—who also happen to excel at basketball. That’s the unique premise of ‘The Half-God of Rainfall‘, a play by Nigerian-born British poet-playwright Inua Ellams, running at the Wilma now through March 2.
Guided by the Wilma’s co-artistic director Lindsay Smiling, ‘The half-god of Rainfall’ features its HotHouse thespians testing the limits of the intersection of patriarchy and imperialism while dribbling, pivoting and going strong to the hoop.
Pierce’s “Shango” is a thunder god who is “powerful, brash and hotheaded” according to the actor. “The thing I like playing most with Shango is that it’s fun to play a character who is all about power,” states Pierce. “In the course of the story, however, his hotheaded-ness allows him to make mistakes, so he is humbled, and must fix all that. He’s a self-reflective god.”
Robinson’s god is “Osun” with a divine power over water and rivers. “It’s incredibly humbling to play a goddess that holds that position,” she says. “I love that kind-of power, someone who has full range of emotion and ability, and is fallible; complicated. It’s thrilling, too, to not think of gods as binary…. No gods here are good or bad, but rather to help us understand ourselves.”
Basketball fits competitively into ‘half-god’ when NBA greats such as Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman and the Sixers’ own Allen Iverson become part of the dramedy, and, the gods must take on the skills of basketball. “There is theatrical basketball playing during the play,” stresses Robinson, jokingly. “And, believe me, we did actually have to play basketball.”
On Feb. 20 and 27, the Wilma’s Café Chat series welcomes ‘half-god’ playwright Inua Ellams to discuss his take on power structures and free throws.
‘King Hedley II’
Before Black History Month closes out, attention must be paid to the Arden Theatre’s late-February welcome of Philadelphia Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and director James Ijames to the helm of August Wilson’s ‘King Hedley II‘ whose run at the Old City space starts Feb. 27.
‘King Hedley II’ is a dark tale of survival by any means necessary, and the Arden’s production feature Ijames’ direction and Philly’s finest acting talent (think Akeem Davis, Kimberly Fairbanks, Taysha Marie Canales, Monroe Barrick, Dax Richardson, and Kash Goins).
‘Quixotic Professor Qui’
InterAct’s Seth Rozin is behind the politically crucial (and hilariously satirical) run of playwright Damon Chua’s ‘Quixotic Professor Qui‘ at the Drake until Feb. 23. Directed by Chongren Fan, and starring two of Philly’s favorite actors, Justin Jain and Bi Jean Ngo, ‘Quixotic Professor Qui’ has self-preservation at its focus, inspired as it is by the true story of Chinese-American scientists targeted for allegedly carrying out economic espionage, and have to choose between birthright and national pride by story’s close.
Remembering Carrie Gorn
I would, however, be remiss if I didn’t mention that one of this city’s most proactive lovers of theater – publicist Carrie Gorn – passed away, and was rightfully given a moment of silence last Thursday by all of Philadelphia’s theater spaces.
If you were a Philly theater company or a touring performing artist, you knew well her reputation for capturing the heart of any play or musical. If you were looking for dance or vocal teachers, or great scholastic theater programs, you talked to Gorn. If you were devoted to all-things Broadway, you shared shoptalk with Gorn. If you just liked great theater gossip, as she and I did, Gorn was fantastically loquacious, armed and ready with all manner of fact and dish.
She will be missed by daughter Rosie, husband Chad, and by us, Philly’s theater community.
