Part I BBS Reviews the play - Josephine Tonight!

Josephine Tonight

A new play on the life of Josephine Baker up to the age of 24

          I have only had the opportunity to veiw the preview performance of this play sans costumes.

However as someone who has researched and studied Josephine Baker for more than six years, I felt

compelled to give my preview review.I was uber excited to attend the performance and was delighted to sit in the seat origionally reserved for thecostume designer for the production – Reggie Ray.  So to my delight  I ended up sitting next to the playwrite Mr.

Sherman Yellen!  After saying hello, we discussed his vision briefly. He told me that he wanted an

all black cast and that the play will travel under different names.  It was previously presented as

Tumpie’s Dance but few people know that Josephine was called Tumpie as a youngster. Josephine Tonight seemed like a better fit.

 When aksed if he had aspirations for a Broadway run, he was flattered at the thought, but said that

 he would rather have a great run off Broadway, than have a lukewarm response on Broadway. Josephine Tonight has a stellar cast including Howard University’s graduate Zurin Villanueva in the starring role and a full orchestra to boot!

     Knowing the full story of Ms. Baker’s life, I watched with a critical eye and when Mr. Yellen asked me

halfway through “So does it live up to your expectation of what you know about her?”  I answered, “So far

so good.”  Clear to me, was the fact that the play is a mixture of truth and creative license, but I love the story

that was told.  The fact that Josephine’s mother went to Paris with her in the beginning is not factual, but her

presence  provides a moral conscience and softens the attitude of Josephine who was scarred

by a race riot she witnessed as a child and other acts of prejudice. The songs and music in the production contain
 delightful lyrics and support the storyline perfectly.  The Choreography and Direction of Maurice Hines who I also
 had the pleasure of meeting was on point.  In the end all I could say to Mr. Yellen was “Brilliant! Simply Brillant!”

As someone who worked behind the scenes on historic research and costume research for this production, I cannot

Wait to see it again!

Stay Tuned for Part II of my Review

Josephine Tonight  January 26 – March 18, 2012    Alexandria Virginia    www.metrostage.org