THE PLAY: A history of African-American music.

 

THE PRODUCTION: There’s no plot here, just an educational anthology of music from slave songs to hip hop. The 3 actors who narrate the history and sing the songs are completely enjoyable, especially the comic sass of Anthony Cosby. They handle the upbeat and the serious songs with equal skill. Obviously, a show like this requires solid voices and this trio fits the bill. William Dye wrote the script, which is brisk, chatty and fun. His snappy arrangements are delightful and the abbreviated versions of many standards keeps them accessible for young audiences (one confusing addition was a Carole King classic). Dye the director infused the show with clever interactions to add even more entertainment. Terrie Powers has created a stage-within-a-stage trimmed with colorful African motifs and used a few projections for historical context.

 

Running time: 1:00

 

THE POINT: This lively history lesson demonstrates the power of music, while effectively imparting some essential social messages.

 

(4.5 / 5)

 

A Virginia Rep Children’s Theatre production at Willow Lawn thru 2/25