Playwright: Marsha Estell
At: Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago
Phone: (312) 633-0630; $16-$20
Runs through: April 18
Playwright Marsha Estell writes with her imagination fully engaged, her finger firmly on the pulse of the way real people talk and interact, her heart open, and her mind sharp. Estell is a playwright to watch, because she not only has a soulful feel for the hopes and dreams that lie at the center of our familial and human connections, but she also has a whip-smart gift for comic timing, restraint, and creating characters that veritably sing with life and drama. She is a first-rate entertainer and a writer who knows about the importance of creating sympathetic characters that give us a glimpse not only into their own lives, but our own.
And now, fortunately for her, Chicago Dramatists has produced a first-class production of her play, Heat, in which three generations of African American women come together in downstate Illinois one sultry August weekend. Simple, but never simplistic, Heat is the story of family matriarch, Mudear (played with extraordinary presence and confidence by Saralynne Crittenden), her two daughters, the love-hungry and free-spirited Rose (Felisha D. McNeal in a charismatic and poignant turn; she steals every scene she's in) and the more materialistic, no-nonsense Sharon (flawless work by Mimi Ayers), and Rose's daughter, Shelly (a fresh and spirited performance from Jillian Pollock-Reeves). The women are thrown together on the occasion of Shelly's return from a Chicago hospital, where she has been treated for cancer. Heat is, by turns, laugh-out-loud funny and wipe-away-the tears touching. The stories the women tell, colorful and specific to their backgrounds, eventually transcend boundaries of race or even gender. In their stories and their interactions, these four women form a template that runs parallel to all of our lives: the search for love and acceptance, family dynamics, aging, the disappointments our own bodies can inspire when they don't operate according to our whims, and much more.
Director Russ Tutterow does accomplished, sure work here and all the elements that conspire to create great theater are present. His cast is a delight, and none of them make a misstep. Their characterizations are so sure and so real that this jaded reviewer often forgot they were actresses and accorded them the ultimate testimonial: complete belief in their characters, seeing them as real people and not actors playing roles. Tutterow also works with an inspired creative team: Joey Wade's front porch puts us right in the front yard, forging an intimate and realistic bond between audience and production even before any actors take the stage. You can almost hear the cicadas humming and see the heat shimmering from the concrete front steps. Tiffany Trent's costumes, Joe Plummer's sound, and Jeff Pines' lighting are all orchestrated for maximum effect. This is a real world that we're in no hurry to leave.
Heat, developed under the careful nurturing of Chicago Dramatists, is one of the finest productions I've seen at this venue, so dedicated to helping playwrights realize their creative potential. And that's saying a lot. Don't miss it.