Trouble in Mind--An Absorbing Work with a Knockout LaChanze

        By Joseph Cervelli

Alice Childress' absorbing and moving 1955 play "Trouble in Mind" is being given a dynamic production at the American Airlines Theater. It was well received when it opened over 60 years ago off Broadway but the producers who wanted to bring it to Broadway would not unless the playwright eliminated scenes that dealt firmly with racism. She rightfully refused. Thankfully, but sad that Childress is no longer around, it  has been brought where it rightfully belongs. 

The moment the astonishing LaChanze takes to the stage you know you are witnessing a performance that will linger long in your mind and hopefully on those of voters at award time. As Wiletta Mayer in this play within a play looks out at what is to be an empty theater with revelation that she will be starring in a new play called "Chaos in Belleville." She jokes with doorman Henry (played with conviction by Simon Jones) whom she recognizes from years ago when he was an electrician on one of her shows.

 

John Nevins (a very fine Brandon Micheal Hall) is a young Black actor who has little acting experience so Wiletta tries to give him some advice upon meeting the director. Both John and she form a bond because she knows his family from the town she grew up in.

The other actors all mill in. The only white female actor Judy Sears (a very good Danielle Campbell); the younger and flamboyant Millie Davis (a delightful Jessica Frances Dukes); and the oldest of the troupe Sheldon Forrester (a superb Chuck Cooper.) 

Michael Zegen gives a masterful performance as the play's director, Al Manners. He appears to be thoughtful and comforting until he proves to be both insensitive and a bully. What adds to his callousness is his own personal problems. Zegen who gave an especially fine performance in the last production of "A View From The Bridge"  gives an equally admirable one here. 

There is one other white actor in the play, Bill O'Ray (a very good Don Stephenson),who has this never ending speech from the play they are rehearsing. But O'Ray himself has his own prejudices with the black cast members never joining them for lunch. 

The racial aspects start to emerge as the actors read from the play which supposedly is to deal with sharecroppers and the horrors of lynching. But slowly as the actors recite their lines  they are nothing more than racist stereotypes. Al makes John wave his hands around with histrionics that certainly is degrading and Wiletta's emotions are just as insultingly stereotypical. Yet, she deals with it wanting the job as she had to do with so many other acting roles.  Sheldon also kowtows to the director even more so  trying to act as a buffer between actors and director. He is accused of being an "Uncle Tom" but just trying to keep his job knowing through years of experience that this was the way to sadly keep from being fired. There is one sensationally moving scene where Cooper  breaks out of his character's calm demeanor to give a devastating monologue about as a child he witnessed a lynching. 

Things get more heated and under Charles Randolph-Wright's astute direction.  Wiletta refuses to go though with one scene in which she states to Al whom she acted with years ago that a mother of a young man who is about to be lynched would never act that way. The combustibility between Al and Wiletta is electric. LaChanze  plays the role of Wiletta at that moment as a real mother would and not as written. It is an unforgettable moment. 

Here is a forceful work that took too long to get to Broadway but now it is here you would be quite foolish to pass this one up.

PHOTOS: Joan Marcus

Tickets are available at the American Airlines Theatre 227 W. 42nd Street