As a black American historical drama, Flyin’ West became a major hit as both a piece of dramatic literature and a true exposition of 1890s black experience, especially in the U.S. West and involving women. A few decades of developments in black theater and uncovering of much more of black experience in the U.S have made Pearl Cleage’s play no longer novel. It does, though, maintain some power, even in WBTT’s production where it’s like a staged TV movie.
Renata Eastlck comes on strong as Sophie Washington, with a rifle ready to defend herself and the Dove family and home she’s adopted as her own. With an admirable pioneering spirit, Sophie plans to create a huge black community. Her Nicodemus, Kansas will have a black school, library, and a government that will make blacks truly free.
As Miss Leah, the doyenne of the Doves, Sieglinda Fox brings her background mostly as a slave to as firm a relationship with Sophie as with her blood family. Fox’s Miss Leah also embodies the black oral tradition, insisting it must continue to keep blacks preserving their past and impulsing their future. A highlight of the play is Fox’s rendering of Miss Leah’s final beautiful, relevant monologue.
Problems to Sophie’s plan come in the form of the youngest Dove woman, Carmi Harris’s poignantly conflicted Minnie Dove Charles. Having lived in London since marrying a 15-years-older Frank Charles, she will be torn between wanting them to live part of Sophie’s dream and the mastery Frank holds over her.
Donovan Whitney properly portrays Frank as a villain, since he’s never accepted the part of his ancestry that’s black and wants to do everything to be accepted fully in white society. Frank is also a compulsive drinker and gambler who gambles away his money.
After his father’s death, his part-brothers have cut him off from his share of family inheritance. No wonder he’s come West to get some land to sell and is livid when Sophie doesn’t want to part with Minnie’s share of the Dove property. Is it any wonder he will treat Minnie terribly? And then there’s the fact that she’s pregnant!
Ariel Blue gives her usual masterful performance as Fannie Dove, who tries to do her best toward Sophie and everyone in the Dove family. Townsperson and former slave Will Parrish, made a bit shy and a lot positive but careful by Michael Knowles , is attracted to Fannie. Author Pearl Cleage makes this another interesting “couple of opposites” who’ll be involved in the drama’s conclusion.
As director, Charles Smith gets excellent realistic acting from his cast. The configuration of WBTT’s stage makes blocking difficult and movement from one place to another in the wide set take more than usual time for scene changes. Sound bridges and light changes are well designed.
What I find most interesting is that author Cleage, while scoring white bigotry that affects the Dove family and Frank Charles, also shows that racism isn’t exclusively white. And it is especially good to be assured that women had a positive role in settling the West and in black history there.
