Stick Fly the award-winning play by Lydia R. Diamond is having its first Broadway run after successful engagements in Boston and Washington D.C. at The Cort Theater on West 48th Street. Directed by Kenny Leon, the play puts a spotlight on the upper-class Black-American experience. Martha’s Vineyard is the setting for a play that confronts issues of race, class and paternal responsibility. The play is that rare thing a successful dramedy that mixes tragedy and comedy sometimes within the same scene.
Fourteen-time Grammy award-winning musician Alicia Keys is the producer of Stick Fly and it is easy to understand what attracted her to this project. Her music, her acting roles in films like the Secret Lives of Bees and her directing for The Five a the Lifetime network movie, have all focused on the struggle of women to find a voice in society. The female roles in Stick fly are the emotional backbone of the play even the unseen mother and family housekeeper bring revelations by their absence.
The play opens onto the inner workings of the LeVay household. The set is designed by Tony Winning set designer David Gallo who recently recreated the site of Martin Luther King’s assassination for the play The Mountaintop. It allows for a cross-section of the home that allows the action to be viewed simultaneously so there is no need for intrusive set changes. Scene transitions are punctuated by original compositions by Alicia Keys that perfectly evoke the tone of the action.
The LaVay sons have brought their girlfriends home to meet the parents. Younger son Kent aka Spoon (Dulรฉ Hill) is engaged to hyper-verbal entomologist Taylor (Tracie Thoms). Older brother Flip aka Harold (Mekhi Phifer) is trying to impress his new “Italian” girlfriend Kimber (Rosie Benton). The heart of the play is Cheryl (Condola Rashad) the housekeeper’s daughter that has lived in the shadow of the LaVay’s rich lifestyle her entire life, idolizing them from the inside. The patriarch Joe LeVay (Ruben Santiago-Hudson) is disappointed in the professional life of his younger son but has explosive secrets of his own that threaten his public image.
Dulรฉ Hill of USA Network’s Psych takes about 2 scenes to warm-up in the role of a man trying to find a way to overcome his father’s disappointment. His natural charm allows him to overcome his underwritten role. In his Broadway debut, Mekhi Phifer of ER and Soul Food fame displays an innate cockiness to his portrayal of ladies man Flip. Broadway veteran Ruben Santiago-Hudson brings a sly wink to his role as a father with secrets and his monologue at the end of the second act brings some humanity to the unlikeable character.
The women actors bring the laughs and emotional punches home in this production. Tracie Thoms who I first noticed in the short-lived cult series has the most heartfelt performance she is fascinating to watch as the play sends her on a rollercoaster of emotion while dealing with her own daddy issues. Rosie Benton who originated the role of Kimber has an honesty to her portrayal that brings a realness to the guess who’s coming to dinner situation. Condola Rashad daughter of the legendary actress Phylicia Rashad has a breakout performance. Her portrayal of a young woman who has her life turned is upside-down deserves recognition. Her wide eyes are so expressive that every emotion is broadcast to the back of the theater.
The fast-paced dialogue and the funny and touching performances from an all-star cast make Stick Fly the most enjoyable time I’ve had at a Broadway play in months. I hope this production is not overlooked during awards season. Kenny Leon lets the smart and insightful banter take center stage. –Sia-Alika Anderson
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Review: Stick Fly on Broadway: Stick Fly the award winning play by Lydia R. Diamond is having its first Broadway… http://t.co/1vdHDCHI
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Review: Stick Fly on Broadway: Stick Fly the award winning play by Lydia R. Diamond is having its first Broadway… http://t.co/1JwFv3K1
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