I'm always cheered when a local play and local playwright debut a work of real merit. It backs up my contention that Chicago is one of the best theater cities around. Here, you can find original work with compassion, power, depth and originality—as is the case with Luther Goins' brilliant new play, Love Child, making its debut at Live Bait.
Love Child is set at the Sue Emma Coleman Home for unwed mothers, on Chicago's South Side. Teenage mothers ShaWanda, DaWanda, TaWanda and LaWanda are classmates, little more than babies themselves learning to take care of their progeny under the strict, yet caring eyes of their instructor, Ms. Johnson-Mack. The play explores, with wicked humor, wit, and empathy what brings these girls to the home and the pain and fears that underscore their big-talk bravado.
Playwright Goins and director Ilesa Lisa Duncan make wise choices in bringing their story to the stage, steering clear of falling into traps such as stereotyping the girls and the people around them, creating instead fresh, raw characters that inspire real affection. The story too, which could have easily been maudlin or preachy, scores because it takes on its dark themes of teenage motherhood, sexual and physical abuse, anger and hopelessness with unflinching candor and honesty, letting the audience draw its own conclusions from the often horrible truths that lie beneath these young women's lives.
But probably the factor that most makes Love Child such a success lies in its casting. If there's a weak link in this cast of nine, I didn't see it ( and I was reviewing a preview ) . The unwed mothers themselves are a revelation; each actor makes her often loud and defiant character someone real, showcasing the anguish and all too human frailty that lurks beneath each of their exteriors. All four actors were beyond reproach in their characterizations, but the one who really stood out for me was Keisha Nicole, as DaWanda. Nicole makes us feel for the shy DaWanda and when she displays her beautiful ( and secret ) voice at her proud mother's urging, the song becomes an emotional powerhouse—if it doesn't bring tears to your eyes, you have no heart. Mashari Bain, as the sassy and sexy ShaWanda is also a joy to behold, and Demetria Thomas ( TaWanda ) creates a heartrending portrayal of a tough on the outside, damaged on the inside teenager who must live under the shadow of a mother whose anger knows no bounds.
Love Child is a perfectly balanced production of hilarity and heartbreak. When the girls let the audience know their children's names ( Gourmet, Clinique, Herbal Essence, Nike, Dot Com, Facsimile and Intimacy ) , it's can't-catch-your-breath hilarious. And when they participate in an exercise where they get to role play and ask their mothers one question about their thwarted lives, it's painful. Moments like these make Love Child shine. It's too bad the play is marred by a too-quick wrap up and a too-easy resolution of the principal mother figure's anger. But these are minor points, which I would hope the playwright will devote a little further work on. Love Child, all in all, is a must-see and a great contribution to the Chicago canon of original theater.