*Do you like blues music? How about jazz? Bessie Smith? Duke Ellington? Johnny Mercer? On second thought, if you just like good music and enjoy musicals, then I have a musical for you to see. “Blues in the Night” is playing now thru May 27 in the intimate Lovelace Theater at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills.
The Wallis is a beautiful venue and the perfect setting for the 1930s based musical. When I spoke with Director Sheldon Epps in a phone interview last month, he was excited to bring the play he conceived to a smaller, more intimate theater. After our conversion, I was looking forward to seeing “Blues in the Night.” I finally got my opportunity on May 12. I was not disappointed.
“Blues in the Night,” tells the story of three women and the relationship they have with a cheating scoundrel that do them wrong. From the very first song, “Blue Blues,” I knew I was in store for something very special. The cast was exceptional. Yvette Cason, Bryce Charles, Chester Gregory and Paulette Ivory are some of the most talented singers I have witnessed. I loved them. Mr. Epps mentioned he had worked with three of the actors before and it was not difficult to see why he is working with them again.
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Yvette Cason, plays The Lady from the Road, someone who has seen a thing or two. She had a Bessie Smith flavor, which really came through on songs like, “Wasted Life Blues” and “Lover Man.” Her voice was the most powerful of the four and could she belt out a song and work a crowd. Bryce Charles, plays The Girl with the Date, a softer more innocent and demure young lady with still much to learn. Paulette Ivory plays The Woman of the World, polished, poised, and stylish and a tad of a drinker. Her voice was strong and solid, which was evident on “Stompin at the Savoy.” Chester Gregory plays The Man in the Saloon and sang his scoundrel part admirably. He even looked like a scoundrel and was very skilled at playing to a crowd. I enjoyed all four actors.
The band, which was at the back of the stage but visible, consisted of Conductor/Pianist Lanny Hartley, Bassist Kevin O’Neal, Reed Players Randall Willis and Louis Van Taylor, Percussionist Lance Lee and Trumpeter Fernando Pullum were off the chain, hook and hinges. They were not overpowering and were just audible enough to compliment the singers. They had a jam session to begin the second act that left me wanting to hear more of them.
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“Blues in the Night” was a two-hour extravaganza of 26 of the best songs blues and jazz has to offer. I even learned something new: Bobby Womack’s “Nobody Wants You When You’re Down and Out, was first made famous by Bessie Smith as, “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out.” The song “Kitchen Man” may speak of kitchen tools, but do not be fooled. With 26 songs, there was something for everyone.
The hoopla said “Blues in the Night” would leave me, “energized, inspired and ready to wail.” Add empowered and that would about sum it up. If you want to feel the same, if you live in SoCal or will be in the area, head on over to the Wallis and take in one of the remaining shows (until May 27) of a musical for the ages. For tickets, visit www.thewallis.org.
Marilyn Smith is a Los Angeles based writer/reviewer. Contact her via [email protected].
