August Wilson’s ‘Radio Golf’ on Hattiloo stage

Lawrence Blackwell, who is directing Hattiloo Theatre’s production of “Radio Golf,” brings considerable knowledge to this last play written by August Wilson.

Blackwell is an assistant professor in the University of Memphis’ Department of Theatre & Dance who has made an academic pursuit of AfricanAmerican theater, particularly Wilson’s work.

Wilson’s 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle charts the African-American experience, one for each decade of the 20th century. All are set in the city’s Hill District except “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” set in Chicago. “Radio Golf” is the last in the cycle, taking place in 1997, and examines whether black culture and heritage can survive integration into mainstream white society.

Blackwell says, “There is no right or wrong in this play. I hope we don’t answer that question, but that we open up eyes and hearts.”

The story is about gentrification of a neighborhood in the Hill District, the pull of ambition and the consequences of change. “The play boils down to what it means to be middleclass black,” Blackwell says, “and what are the divides and the commonalities.”

The plays in the Pittsburgh Cycle are populated with fascinating characters who tell powerful stories. They deal in varying ways with AfricanAmerican life in the 20th century, from love and ambition and family to racism and injustice. The plots are loosely related and often have recurring characters or their descendants.

“Radio Golf,” Blackwell says, “is interesting in that Wilson moves away from his blues tradition and goes more into the jazz dynamic. The other plays in the cycle are a lot heavier, but in this, the arguments are very quick.” He notes that in most of the Cycle’s plays, there’s not usually a white antagonist “but there’s the ghost of white oppression. In this play, it’s blackon-black.” It explores W.E.B. Dubois’ double consciousness concept of divided identity: A person is aware as an individual and also aware how he or she is seen through the eyes of others. It is, as Dubois says, “two warring ideals in one dark body.”

Wilson’s expressive brilliance makes these themes vivid. “He has a natural style and sensitivity in his writing,” Blackwell says. “He takes everyday language and puts it on stage in a realistic and important way.”

WINGATE WINS AGAIN

Get outta the way, Cecelia Wingate is back with another outsized musical comedy at Theatre Memphis.

“The Producers” is a wanton Mel Brooks foray into hilarity with conniving wheeler dealers, leggy bombshells, musicals that bomb, twirling swastikas, old ladies on walkers, a certain amount of gay-themed shenanigans and an accountant.

You know the story, yes? Based on Brooks’ 1967 movie of the same name, it follows the scheme of Broadway producer Max Bialystock (a splendid Philip Andrew Himebook) and his simpering accountant Leo Bloom (Lee Hudson Gilliland sounding like Wally Cox and nailing the role), who decide to run a scam in which failure is success. They’ll raise a bunch of money, produce the worst show ever seen on Broadway that will close immediately, and scamper off with the excess. They decide to do a musical tribute to the Führer (“Springtime for Hitler”), but it’s considered a great work of satire and its success queers the deal.

And wow, is there ever excess. It’s a Brooks trademark, given full throttle by Wingate who has gathered a pitch perfect cast to take it over the top. Susan Stroman’s original choreography is guided by Jared Johnson and Christi Hall and it crackles. Jeffery B. Brewer is music director, pulling together the band and singers in excellent balance.

Besides the two lead con men who have a remarkably good chemistry, there are standout performances by Christina Hernandez as the Swedish temptress Ulla, Gregory Alexander as the Nazi keeper of the flame Franz Liebkind, Justin Asher as the self-absorbed director Roger De Bris and Clark Richard Reeves as his expressive assistant Carmen Ghia. There are no weak performances and it’s astonishing the precision achieved even as large set pieces move about.

Last week, Wingate snagged an Ostrander Award for her direction of last year’s “The Addams Family” at Theatre Memphis. She also won in the same category the year before for Theatre Memphis’ “Young Frankenstein” (another Brooks musical). Each of those productions won seven awards, dominating the ceremonies. There are many shows yet to be performed in this season all over town, but “The Producers” is an early favorite to repeat the honors.

“Nutcracker” Auditions: Ballet Memphis presents “The Little Prince”:

“The Producers”:

“A Party to Murder”:

“The Producers”:

“Radio Golf”:

“Rumors”:

“The Matchmaker”: