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Sounds So Good, Makes You Wanna Holler
Old School vs. Nu Skool
Written by Dawn Bless & Rueban Echoles
Directed by Rueben Echoles
Music Direction by Jimmy Tillman
Produced by Jackie Taylor & Joe Plummer
At Black Ensemble Theater
4520 N Beacon Street
Chicago, IL
Call 773-769-4451, tickets $40
Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 10 minutes with intermission
Limited open run
Music styles collide as Old School (R & B) verses Nu Skool (Rap & Hip Hop) deliver a tuneful romp
Now in its 30th year, Black Ensemble Theater has been grooming young talents through its BPI (Black Playwrights Initiative) program for the last few years. The result is Sounds So Good Makes You Wanna Holler by BPI members Dawn Mithcell and Rueben Echoles, who also directs and choreographs. This is a fresh new show featuring the trademarked Black Ensemble Theater terrific musical arrangements (by Thomas Washington) and the fine vocals by both the old guys and the kids. The concept is simple—the old guys sang Doo Wop and R & B while the kids love to rap and sing Hip Hop. Which is better?
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The old guys, the fictional “The Harmonies,” led by Sam King (Amos Ellis) emulated groups like The Temptations to The Miracles to The Four Tops and most other 60’s R & B groups. They were always the opening act but never the mainliner. These days they meet at King’s Barber Shop. Sam King, Jr. (Rashawn Thompson) like his father wants to make it big as a singer but his father has him in law school only allowing him to sing with his group only as a hobby. Daddy doesn’t want Junior to have the pain and heartache of a music career. When on–air DJ Lisa Rose (Rashada Dawn) proposes a contest to determine who is best: the old school or Nu Skool, the musical romp is on.
We hear 25 tunes including 60’s chart hits like Ray Charles’ “I Got A Woman,” “I Feel Good” from James Brown, “Shop Around” by The Miracles. Songs of The Temptations, The Dells, Aretha Franklin and Nancy Wilson are featured. David Simmons, Lyle Miller, Magellan Watts, Romeo and Amos Ellis produce the rich harmonies and smooth tones of the classic R & B numbers as The Harmonies. These guys are fine actors as well as excellent singers. Rhonda Preston, as Yvette King, Sam’s wife, nails several songs and her “How Glad I Am” paid tribute to Nancy Wilson. The Harmonies delivered an exuberant rendition of The Temptations’ “Get Ready.” The kids gave their version also.
The kids’ led by the talented baby-faced 18 year old Rashawn Thompson and backed by Theo Huff, Demond Styla and Cory Andre Wright offered the look and raw energy of the contemporary sounds with their boy band movements with Rap and Hip Hop songs. I must confess that I hate rap and hip hop, so it is hard for me to relate to the form. The younger audiences seem to grove on these tunes. I’m pure old school. The kids exhibited a crude, sensual energy that energized the show with “Hey Ya” (from Outkast). Rashawn Thompson nailed the haunting ballad “Water Runs Dry” (Boyz II Men).
The battle of the styles (and eras) produced bouncy tunes like “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and mellow songs like “Stairway to Heaven.” The old school wins but the kids do terrific work with “Can You Stand the Rain.” I liked the reversal where the old guys do a rap tune (“No Diggity”) and the kids do “You Really Got a Hold On Me.”
It is nice to see Black Ensemble Theater bring new young talents into the creative process allowing Jackie Taylor to expand her mission. After all, Taylor has been the creator for many years. Youth must be served. This tuneful show is a delight that can help unite generations through music. Not a bad idea.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: September 30, 2007
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