Written by Tanya Terry, with featured photo courtesy of FIM
Featured photo: Detroit native Yewande Odetoyinbo, who plays Ma Rainey in the upcoming Flint Repertory Theatre production, explained to the Courier that playing this part has been a long time coming.
The Flint Repertory Theatre’s production of August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” premieres the night of Friday, September 18, and runs until October 4. It takes place in the Elgood Theatre, which serve as a primary performance venue for the Flint Repertory Theatre.
Its Director Rico Bruce Wade, an associate artist with Flint Rep and recent Emmy award winner, explained that he selected this play because he is a blues fan and was drawn to August Wilson’s American Century Cycle, which tells African American stories. Wade emphasized the play’s universal appeal and how it inspires audience conversations.
The play, set in a 1920s recording studio, features a fictionalized account of Ma Rainey’s recording session with her band members.
Wade’s work at the Rep has included “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” “Death of a Salesman,” “The Boatman” and “Into the Woods.”
Wade noted the intimate venue at Elgood Theatre creates strong audience engagement and mentions the production includes live music coordinated by Aidan Clark, with support from blues musician Earl Darnell, known as “Deacon Earl.”
Wade praised the exceptional ensemble cast including Kenn Hopkins Jr., Henri Franklin, Nathan Barlow and Richard Harris, and commends the production team’s phenomenal work on set, sound, lighting and costumes.
Detroit native Yewande Odetoyinbo, who plays Ma Rainey, discussed that although she was already familiar with Ma Rainey, she learned while working on the cast that Ma Rainey couldn’t read or write but used pictures to remember lyrics. Odetoyinbo emphasized the importance of portraying Ma Rainey as claiming her voice against silencing and controlling her agency, representing all mistreated artists from the 1920s-30s.
Odetoyinbo stated: “I remember even my last year of high school or my first year of college being told I should play Ma Rainey. I was told: ‘You’re not going to be able to play her for another 20, 30 years. But you need to be playing Ma Rainey at some point in your career.'”
Odetoyinbo holds a BFA from Howard University and MFA from Boston Conservatory at Berklee. She has been in several musicals, including “Caroline or Change,” “Once on This Island,” and “Sister Act.” She has also acted in plays, such as: “Fairview,” “The Light,” and “Breath and Imagination.”
Actor Kenn Hopkins Jr., who plays Slow Drag, has been chasing the August Wilson script for over 20 years since reading it in high school. He attended University of Michigan-Flint for theater and University of Houston for his MFA, and acted in several plays at each school.
He has acted in many Shakespeare plays, such as ” A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream” and “Othello.” He feels August Wilson’s plays, such as this one, carry a lot the same gravity as many Shakespeare plays.
Hopkins told the Courier he identified more with the character Levy’s passion but also relates to Slow Drag’s practicality.
Hopkins said of his own character in the play: “I think he’s practical….I think Slow Drag is also a party guy. He kind of likes to finish the work so he can play more. Right? He likes to work hard so he can play hard, right? So any extra work that isn’t necessary, I think he’s against and he likes to try to avoid. So, I think he’s very efficient. He’s a very efficient musician and worker. He likes to come in and get it done, using as little as possible, yet being very effective in getting it done right. He still wants to do a good job…but he wants to do that as fast as possible.”
Hopkins plays upright bass in the production and had to sharpen his skills after being away from stage performance for a year and a half.
Hopkins, born and raised in Flint, hopes local residents will see themselves in the play’s African American stories and music.
The play’s director, as well as the cast, emphasized the play’s thought-provoking nature and its relevance to contemporary issues of artistic recognition and racial equity.
Photo courtesy of FIM
Wade stated: “You’re not finished after the play is done. These are plays that inspire conversation and make you sit with your friends and compare notes. They make you reflect on your life – what experiences are similar? What resonated for you?”
