One of the great gifts of the last century is American blues.
And Arizona Theatre Company‘s “Blues in the Night” is chock full of the music.
It is a platform for songs by some of the greatest musicians in the genre, among them Bessie Smith, Alberta Hunter, Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington.
The scene is a rickety old hotel in 1930s Chicago (kudos to Edward E. Haynes Jr. for the evocative set). The stage shows three rooms in the hotel, one occupied by The Girl with a Date (Camryn Hamm), another by The Lady From the Road (Roz White), and one by The Woman of the World (April Nixon). Then there is The Man in the Saloon (Darryl Reuben Hall), who weaves in and out of the scenes.
Roz White and Darryl Reuben Hall in Arizona Theatre Company’s production of “Blues in the Night.”
There is no dialogue, just glorious music sung individually and by the whole group. There’s really no story, either, but who cares when the cast opens with the Bessie Smith tune “Blue Blues.”
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The live band is on stage, too, led by pianist William Foster McDaniel, who tickles the ivories with feeling and soul.
Which was what was missing, at least in the first act, from the performers, save White, who was raunchy, sexy and funny and nailed every one of her songs with her must-listen voice. But the other performers seemed low energy, robbing the music of the rawness and feeling that mark the blues. Maybe we can chalk that up to opening night jitters.
The energy picked up in the second act. That was too late for some audience members, who slipped out at intermission and didn’t return. Those who stuck around were rewarded with powerful renditions of tunes like “Rough and Ready Man,” sung with attitude by Nixon, and “Wasted Life Blues,” performed powerfully and mournfully by White.
Ricardo Khan’s direction kept the revue flowing, and he was sure to give moments to each of the performers, including the killer pianist, McDaniel. Myrna Colley-Lee created silky and slinky costumes that moved with the performers and spoke of the times.
ATC first staged “Blues in the Night” in 1994, which was directed by Sheldon Epps, who conceived the revue and was its original director. The piece opened on Broadway in 1982.
There is no dating the blues; it is timeless and stirring. This production, even with its flaws, shows exactly why that is.
Arizona Theatre Company’s production of “Blues in the Night” continues through Feb. 15 at the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Tickets are $33-$118 at atc.org or 833-282-7328.
The show runs about two hours, with one intermission.
Kathleen Allen is a longtime Tucson arts and theater writer.
