00054: WHY WOULD I MISPRONOUNCE MY OWN NAME?

Let's start with the obvious. Irma Herrera is not an actor, and I don't mean this in a negative way. She's a "writer, solo performer, social justice activista, lawyer, and world traveler." That's how she introduces and identifies herself on her website, irmaherreradotcom. But more than a "solo performer," I would say Irma is a storyteller and she proves that in her one-woman show: "Why Would I Mispronounce my Own Name?" presented at Central Stage in Richmond CA.

The original production was directed by Rebecca Fisher and while I don't know the exact date of the show's original opening, information from Irma's website makes me believe the show first happened around the year 2021. The production I saw last September 2024 still credits Rebecca Fisher as the director. 

The show tells the story of Irma herself, who talks about the fact that her name is pronounce IRMa or, in my better phonetic English assimilation: ear-ma but never ur-ma or ERma. Not only does Irma talks about the importance of standing up to people who mispronounce your name but also about the courage it takes to stand up and correct them when mispronouncing it. I connected with this bit of the show, mainly because my name is Carlos-Manuel and back in high school some teachers called me Karlos-Manual... and I never corrected them.

In her show, Irma also addressed the issue of colorism within our own community and how her mother always told her she was "como una mosca en la leche-like a fly in the milk," referring to the fact that her skin was darker when compared to other family members. This section of the show made me laugh because, when I was young, while we never say anything related to flies and milk, we always use the word "prieto" when trying to remind someone that they were not as "white as they should be" or worse, as "white as we were." For the record, we are brown people, darker than our European American neighbors. We have never, ever been white. 

Irma's show does not just revolved on her personal experiences growing up but also addresses national issues such as politics and the danger of using and/or making fun of names which are different than those used by European Americans. She also highlights the irony about being a person of color and serving in the military but then, when done from your military duties, being ignored, mistreated, and worse, killed in the country you defended. The irony is, if it escapes you, fighting and surviving a war only to comeback to the country you were born and then be shot by racist people, who demand you go "back to your country" because of the color of your skin. Sad but very much a reality in the "greatest country of the world."

As a storyteller, Irma carries herself with ease, and her soft voice forces the audience to closely pay attention to her words and narrative. And while her show is already written, it is easy to note, at least to me, where new information was inserted in order to keep some of the discussed subjects as current as possible, which works fine because the one-hour show is full of insight, educational tidbits, jokes, personal moments, connections with the audience, and a few surprises that make "Why Would I Mispronounce my Own Name?" a must see theatrical experience. 

00053: CHOIR BOY

The first time I heard about Tarrell Alvin McCraney was for his play WIG OUT!, which I saw at the Royal Court Theatre in London. The show was an unforgettable theatrical experience so, naturally, when I was in NYC and ran into information about a new play by the author, I had to see it.

It turns out the play was CHOIR BOY, a play I knew nothing about except for the fact that, because of its titled and its author, I figured it had to do with gospel music. I was partially correct. The show takes place at the Charles R. Drew Prep School for Boys, a private all black male institution. The story revolves around a young man named Pharus who, after waiting for years takes his rightful place as the leader of the legendary gospel choir. But of course, Pharus has his secrets and so does everyone else around him.

Fast forward to the present, September 2024. Shotgun Players in Berkeley, CA is producing Mr. McCraney's play. So naturally, I had to go see it, mainly because I teach a Queer Theatre class and this is one of the plays I ask student to read so we can have discussions about it. Having a live production "refresher" was not a bad idea.

CHOIR BOY is a gay theme play and Pharus is a young gay man who wants to succeed as a choir leader. But hardly anyone is ready for Pharus' life style and the school will make any effort to dismiss Pharus, while his classmates will either dislike him for being gay, behaving in very homophobic ways, or will tolerate him because well, perhaps it is the best Christian thing to do.

The production at Shotgun Players was entertaining. The group of actors portraying the prep students, as well as the two actors playing school figure authorities committed to the roles they played. The singing was glorious and the choreography was eye-catching. Unfortunately, at least for me, not everyone was on point. From the 8-actors ensemble, four of them stood out. Wesley Barker who played AJ James and Pharus' roommate was very charismatic and caring. Chachi Delgado as Junior Davis carried his role with lots of energy and his singing and dancing were high quality. Omar Stewart  showed a lot of vulnerability and insecurity as David Heard. As we see him loving and hating his situation, we come to like him, dislike him, but also understand him. Malcom B. Rodgers as the "white" professor was outstanding as someone who carry himself with both authority and concern for the students. 

The rest of the ensemble was a series of hit and misses. William Schmidt singing was potent but his portrayal of Pharus didn't carry enough emotional vulnerability to truly make me care of his situation. Miles Meckling, as the troubled bully, was extremely too angry and confrontational that his character almost became a stereotype. Brandon DiPaola as "Ensemble Member" and Fred Pitts as Headmaster are easily forgettable, despite the fact that, unlike Mr. DiPaola, Mr. Pitts has a major role in the story. 

For me, the singing and the choreography were the best part of the production. Every actor playing a student had a very strong voice. It is clear they worked hard for the production because their harmonies were on point and a welcoming sound to hear. And while the choreography was eye-catching and creative, it is clear that not everyone in the ensemble is a dancer. Yet, the actors committed to the execution of every single step, shape, and movement. 

When I first saw the show in London, and later in NYC, the productions were about 90 minutes long, Shotgun Players' production ran 1 hour and 50 minutes without intermission, most of the extra time is attributed to the scene changes, which unfortunately pull you away from submerging into the story to truly fall in love with the characters. 

Overall, though, the production is worth seeing, especially because of the singing and the choreography. Tarrel Alvin McCraney's script is strong, containing some very good one-liners that made the audience laugh out loud or shriek in disgust or shock, and all those reactions are expected when one watches a play written by Mr. McCraney. CHOIR BOY is not an essay play to produce. It requires an ensemble of young people who can act, sing, and move with authority and ease. Shotgun Players production's efforts to reach such goals are almost there. For this reason along, and for the fact that Darrell Alvin McCraney's script is so beautifully written, attending this production is worth our time.