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| Abigail Williams (as Mary) and Paul Anderson III (as Joseph). |
If director Michelle M. Robinson’s goal was to make me
feel like I was in a church while watching her version of Black Nativity,
she accomplished it and so much more.
Written by Langston Hughes, Black Nativity, which
opened on Broadway in December 1961, retells the classic story with an
All-Black cast. Robinson’s version
has been recast with FAMU students and hit the Charles Winter Wood Theatre
stage this week and runs through Sunday.
The show is infused with traditional yuletide favorites,
classic and contemporary gospel and a bit of humor, this show opens up with an
energy burst and doesn’t come off its musical high until the very last number.
The voices are clarion. The energy
is soaring (this cast can forget their Stairmaster workouts for the duration of
the run). The spirit moves and the costumes swirl, and the live band promises
to keep your foot tapping throughout.
The excellent cast of singers produce sweet harmonies
and rich solos nailing all the emotions of the nativity story. A blend of gospel, blues, traditional
Christmas tunes with hints of African rhythms, raises the spirits of the
season. We hear favorites like “Oh Come All Ye Faithful,” O Holy Night, “Go
Tell it on the Mountain,” and
several contemporary favorites. This 90 minute song fest is an engrossing holiday treat well worth seeing rich in the African-American tradition. It’ll lift your
spirits.
Showtimes: Saturday (Today) 2 p.m. & 8 p.m./Sunday (Tomorrow) 3 p.m.