Take the Soul Train to Christmas @ Jubilee Theater
—Review by Jan Farrington
Let’s be clear: Most of us (let’s forget those “Bah, humbug” types) enjoy the usual lineup of Christmas/holiday shows—the Scrooges, the Elves, the Santas and sleighs—and even the oddball stories of little boys getting their tongues stuck to a light post.
But it’s great to see something new and different.
Jubilee Theatre’s finger-snapping, song-filled Take the Soul Train to Christmas is just as tied in to the season as any Dickens story…but the vibe is its own, a mix of holiday magic, history lesson, and hip trip through the ages. Written by playwright Ekundayo Bandele (author of an earlier Jubilee Christmas show, If Scrooge Was a Brotha), and played by a talented ensemble who never lose the fun (or the point), Soul Train is a sweet treat—and food for thought too.
“Don’t wake Grand Dad!” say teens Luke, Rosa, and Nat (Kyle Spears, Kayla Marshall, and Tristen Brown) coming in on the old gentleman napping in a chair. But when Grand Dad (Sekou Calhoun) wakes up, that’s when the story starts. The kids need to find facts for school about how Blacks in America have celebrated Christmas, and what the holiday has meant to the community. Grand Dad, a former Pullman porter, pulls on his tailored jacket and cap, shoots the cuffs, and hollers “All aboard!” to conjure up the “Soul Train” (don’t ask too many questions), their ticket to ride the rails through history.
A Narrator (twirling Ron Johnson in red velvet) frames the action, but Bandele’s script has its own momentum from the start—it’s written entirely in rhyme, letting dialogue slide seamlessly into song numbers and back out again. There are stops in slavery times, for the fierce and jazzy Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights era, and a spot or two closer to our own time. In one of the most poignant moments, slaves sing the old song “Follow the Drinking Gourd”—about the constellation guiding them North to freedom. Grand Dad notes that the brightest star of the group, the North Star, was also the Star of Bethlehem.
Songs include “This Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “Jingle Bells,” I Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” a “Little Drummer Boy Rap”—and more. The audience sings along, claps along, and we end in a hymn of thanks. Music director Donarius Mims is in charge of the nicely “live” music played offstage, with choreographer Kevin Davis Jr. adding some vintage moves. Hope Cox’s costumes (the dashikis and Afros bring back some memories) shine in Holli Price’s lights.
D. Wambui Richardson, the company’s artistic director, keep things lively and a bit “improv” feeling throughout. In addition to the actors already mentioned, the cast includes faces (and voices!) both familiar and new: Alona Bennett (Lona B), Devon Gaut II, Dameron Growe, Shaundra Norwood, Sanesia Tillman, and Crystal Williams. A nice arc to the story is the teenagers’ growing interest in the history spread out before them—until they’re singing and dancing along with the “vintage” folk they meet. A good night’s work, Grand Dad!
WHEN: Through December 23
WHERE: Jubilee Theatre, 506 Main Street, Fort Worth
WEB: jubileetheatre.org
