The Jackie Wilson Story Review - Teardrops of A Complicated Man

February 2000 was a simpler time.  President Clinton was still in office and we had just survived the great Y2K scare.  Enter the Black Ensemble Theater and their amazingly successful The Jackie Wilson Story.  My parents saw that production and to this day call Chester Gregory’s performance one of the greatest they have ever seen.  Jackie Wilson toured the country and while it was not universally loved, Chester Gregory’s performance was.  Enter 2011.  We have a new president, but ironically it was President Clinton who shares more similarities with Jackie Wilson (both enjoyed Elvis and they also both sometimes let their libido get the best of them).  There is also a new lead role to the production, Kelvin Roston Jr. 

Comparing Kelvin Roston Jr. to Chester Gregory is as fair as comparing Derrick Rose to Michael Jordan.   In fact, one advantage I have in reviewing The Jackie Wilson story is that I never saw the 2000 version.  With that said, it is hard for me to imagine a better performance than what Kelvin Roston Jr. gave the night I reviewed Jackie Wilson.  Kelvin Roston Jr. drew the audience in with his smooth and versatile voice as well as with his high energy dance moves.  He also capably teased and flirted with the audience throughout the night and caused a couple of female attendees to blush.  Other standout performances include Melanie McCullough, Dawn Bless, and Rashawn Thompson who played Jackie Wilson’s first wife Freida, his mother Eliza Mae, and childhood friend B.B.  Ensemble members proved extremely versatile and were convincingly able to jump from one role to the next throughout the play.  Among that group, Trinity P. Murdock, Lawrence Williams, and Carrie proved most entertaining with the latter two actors giving stand out solo performances.

If fact, there is a lot to recommend about The Jackie Wilson Story beginning with the theater itself.  The Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center opened a few months ago and still has that new theater smell.  Seating is intimate, parking is plentiful (both on the street as well as in their garage which is valet), and the acoustics are near perfect for the band which is perched behind and above the stage.  The Jackie Wilson Story works wonderfully in this setting.  Throughout the play, audience members tapped their feet and clapped their hands to the wonderful performances on stage.  People leaving the show appeared thoroughly entertained and happy with their night out. 

My frustration with The Jackie Wilson Story was in the story telling.  By beginning and ending the play with a comatose Jackie Wilson, one expects an emotional and dramatic story.  This was rarely achieved mostly due to the disjointed story telling which omitted key details in Jackie’s life such as him surviving a gun shot wound (possibly fired by a girl friend) and his subsequent loss of a kidney.  Also ignored or given very superficial treatment was his conversion to Judaism and encounters with the police, sometimes with racist overtones, and the IRS.  The focus instead was left on Jackie’s relationship with his mother, wife, and close friend.   This might have been fine if only the play had gone deeper into those relationships.  Instead one is left with sound bites and declarations (we know Freida always loved Jackie because she says so, not because of any thing we see her do on stage).  Instead of songs accenting or moving the plot along, the plot appeared mostly as a vehicle to introduce different numbers.  With that said, the band was crisp, the moves smooth, and the singing exceptional.

Bottom line:  The Jackie Wilson story is recommended for those who enjoy the music of Jackie Wilson and/or blues and rhythm sounds.   The acting, singing, and dancing were all top notch but the story did not emotionally connect with me.

Nearby eateries and restaurants:  Just north of the theater is Andersonville with its wide variety of restaurants.  My wife and I enjoyed eating at Anna Maria’s Pasteria which is one block south on Clark (15% discount to theater goers).

To buy tickets:   http://www.blackensembletheater.org/

Photos: Courtesy Black Ensemble Theater