Two of the greatest voices in Chicago theater, Alexis J. Roston and Bethany Thomas, are onstage at NorthlightThtr through Sunday 8/6 in 'Marie and Rosetta.' Theater review by kerryreid
, now at Northlight in a production directed by E. Faye Butler, is a tribute to the contributions of Black women in gospel, rhythm and blues, and rock, as embodied by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight—neither of whom are as nearly well known as they deserve to be . It’s a show that follows a rather familiar dramaturgical path, but that narrative familiarity doesn’t breed contempt. Rather, it’s a framework for showcasing two mind-blowingly great performances by Alexis J.
So in part it’s about the tension between the sacred and secular that has been present for Black popular musicians and singers for at least a century. But it’s also about two women learning about each other and holding each other up in a place and time when political and domestic turmoil meant that even rising stars had to watch their backs, and their steps.
The music is, of course, the main draw here, and with raise-the-roof renditions of everything from “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord” to “Strange Things Happening Every Day” , both Roston (who won a Jeff Award for playing Billie Holiday in Porchlight’s
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