By Ericka Alston BuckSpecial to The AFRO
Baltimore theatergoers gathered at Baltimore Middle Stage just lately for a blinding and heartfelt manufacturing of Langston Hughes’ “Black Nativity” as reimagined by ArtsCentric. The night was not only a celebration of the vacation season but additionally a transformative expertise that related audiences to the vibrancy of Black tradition, neighborhood and religion.
ArtsCentric’s manufacturing, with unique music by Cedric D. Lyles and choreography by Shalyce Hemby, breathed new life into Hughes’ iconic script. Hughes, a literary big of the Harlem Renaissance, initially wrote “Black Nativity” in 1961 as a retelling of the story of Jesus’ start via the lens of Black tradition, infusing it with gospel music, poetry and the spirit of an genuine Black church.
The efficiency paid homage to Hughes’ imaginative and prescient whereas modernizing it to resonate with as we speak’s viewers.
“The fantastic thing about ‘Black Nativity’ is that it matches any sort of church atmosphere, any neighborhood,” mentioned Lyles, who has labored with this piece for over 20 years. “With ArtsCentric’s presentation, it’s a chance to see all of our neighborhood’s energy in a musical theater format.”
Lyles defined the method of crafting the music, a lot of which he composed or organized.
“Langston Hughes gave us this nice script with conventional spirituals, however there was no rating. I needed to make the primary act an precise musical, the place each line, tune and motion tells one cohesive story.”
The outcome was breathtaking. With songs like “No Room” and “Go Inform It on the Mountain,” the forged captivated the viewers, their voices harmonizing in anthems that moved folks to tears and pleasure. The choreography by Hemby added dynamic motion that mirrored each reverence and celebration, grounding the manufacturing in a wealthy physicality that complemented the music completely.
The viewers was handled to far more than a theatrical efficiency—it was a full-blown celebration. Regardless of the chilly December air, the heat contained in the theater was palpable as folks from all walks of life got here collectively to expertise the ability of “Black Nativity.” The theater was alive with power, from the colourful music to the group’s enthusiastic reactions.
Including to the festive ambiance was a small market that includes native distributors, providing a chance for small companies to showcase and promote their items. The occasion additionally included a pre-show ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the beginning of a manufacturing that felt deeply rooted in neighborhood and custom.
For Lyles, the evening was emotional.
“Many of those songs I wrote over 20 years in the past after I was in school,” he shared. “Standing right here now, listening to them carried out and seeing how they resonate with folks as we speak, I replicate on the place I used to be then and who I’m now. It’s deeply transferring.”
Viewers members had been simply as impressed.
“This manufacturing is unimaginable,” mentioned Angela Simmons, an viewers member. “It felt like being in church however on a complete new stage. The music, the dancing—it was all so highly effective and uplifting.”
Others praised the trendy relevance of the manufacturing.
“ArtsCentric has reimagined this traditional in a manner that makes it converse to as we speak,” mentioned Michael James, a longtime supporter of the humanities. “It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come as a neighborhood and the way a lot energy we have now.”
ArtsCentric’s interpretation of Hughes’ work emphasised the timelessness of its message.
“It’s about assembly folks the place they’re,” Lyles famous. “The aim was to create one thing that speaks to us as we speak whereas honoring Hughes’ legacy. I feel we’ve completed that.”
Act Two was transformative. From the second the lights got here again as much as start the second act, the viewers was transported to the heat and power of a Black church. Gospel songs crammed the air, uplifting the group and reworking the theater right into a sanctuary of reward.
Ensemble member Ryan Gholson, whose previous performances embrace work with the Czech Philharmonic, Philadelphia Opera and Soulful Symphony, delivered a show-stopping vocal efficiency that “took us to church.” Gholson, a seasoned performer with credit in “The Coloration Purple,” “Little Store of Horrors” and “Porgy and Bess,” introduced a deep resonance and authenticity to the manufacturing, leaving the viewers in awe.
“Ryan’s efficiency was a spotlight of the night,” mentioned Angela Simmons, an viewers member. “His voice carried a lot soul and energy—it felt like being again in a Sunday service.”
Because the viewers left the theater, many had been already buzzing the songs and sharing their favourite moments. The evening wasn’t nearly watching a efficiency—it was about feeling a connection to neighborhood, tradition, and the common spirit of the vacation season.
ArtsCentric’s Black Nativity is a triumph that reaffirms the ability of theater to unite and encourage. In the event you haven’t seen it but, make time this vacation season for an expertise that may fill your coronary heart with pleasure and your soul with tune.
