Review: Moxie’s ‘Blues’ a bittersweet tale of broken dreams

by Pam Kragen

In Pearl Cleage’s play “Blues for an Alabama Sky,” four close friends find hope, comfort and love in an often-hostile and judmental world.

But “Blues” isn’t set in contemporary America. It takes place in 1930 Harlem, where the jazz age is beginning to fade and the Great Depression is settling in. In this story, the friends hold tight to their dreams while battling unemployment, poverty, addictions, homophobia, racism, sexual harassment and violence.

The 1995 drama opened in a new production Oct. 3 at Moxie Theatre in San Diego. Directed by Moxie executive artistic director Desireé Clarke Miller, the play has an authentic look and feel and a strong five-member cast.

Deja Fields gives a wounded, miles-deep performance as Angel, a hard-drinking jazz club singer who has lost both her job and her gangster boyfriend. Needing a place to sleep, she moves in with longtime friend Guy, a gay costume designer who dreams of one day working in Paris for the famous Black nightclub star Josephine Baker. Kevane La’Marr Coleman plays Guy with elegance, confidence and serene comfort in his own skin.

Across the hall, earnest social worker Delia is working to open a Harlem family-planning clinic to reduce unwanted pregnancies. Janine Taylor’s Delia is soft-spoken, sweet-natured and cautiously optimistic. Meanwhile, Delia is being graciously courted by hard-working and hard-partying doctor Sam, who’s played with affable charm by Xavier Daniels.

Carter Piggee, left, Deja Fields, Kevane La'Marr Coleman, Janine Taylor and Xavier Daniels in Moxie Theatre's "Blues for an Alabama Sky." (Jason Sullivan) — Carter Piggee, left, Deja Fields, Kevane La’Marr Coleman, Janine Taylor and Xavier Daniels in Moxie Theatre’s “Blues for an Alabama Sky.” (Jason Sullivan)

Into their lives comes the disruptive presence of Leland, a conservative Alabama widower who arrives in Harlem looking for work. He falls hard for Angel, who conceals the truth about her past to align with his small-town values.

Ultimately, Leland become infuriated by Harlem’s sexual liberality and Angel’s secrets. Carter Piggee’s Leland is at first wide-eyed and curious, then increasingly cold, controlling and severe.

Although “Blues” wasn’t written for today’s hopelessly divided liberals-vs.-conservatives America, its denouement points to the dangers of intolerance and extremism.

The story unfolds on one of Moxie’s biggest-ever sets. The elaborately detailed side-by-side ’30s-era apartments were created by scenic designer Michael Wogulis. Danita Lee designed the costumes, which include some beautiful period dresses for Angel and Delia. Colby Freel designed lighting and Nataly Ceniceros designed sound.

On opening night,the play’s first act felt under-rehearsed and tonally uneven. But surely as the cast has settled in, any opening kinks have since been ironed out.