Blackbirdportrays Josephine Baker from 1919 as Josie McDonald, a teenaged ghetto street dancer in St. Louis, to 1925 as her career as a voluptuous brown exotic dancer in France soared. Though the book takes her through two husbands and a male lover, she relates to her mother and other women more for her successes. In selective biographical mode, her bisexualism and early New York successes are underplayed.
Because none of the songs or singing which later made her famous is featured, the original score isn’t confined to big production numbers or highlighting Baker’s contribution to le jazz hot so popular in ‘20s Paris. Actually, the show-stopping vocals go to the woman who taught Josie style. Bertha does “Bertha’s Blues” and leads a “Harlem Strut,” while Josie’s mother, Carrie, sings “Laundry Day” and “Momma Knows.” Ariel Blue definitely stars with all these.
Dhakeria Cunningham scores dramatically as a vibrant young Josie, growing ever more resentful of prejudice against her, determined to use anything and anyone to get the respect, money, clothing, freedom she craves offstage and the stardom and adulation she wants onstage. With a voice nothing like Josephine Baker’s, Dhakeria fits well into her early vaudeville phase with “Chicken Strut” and “Slap Happy Jones.” The numbers are just right, paired with Tsadok Porter and Nate Jacobs, who strut their stuff both scripted and choreographed in a number of roles.
Cunningham’s voice also suffices for a romantic ballad with the handsome, assured Michael Mendez as Eddie Baker. The two do lack chemistry as Parisian lovers with “French Made Easy”-- perhaps because he comes over as a stereotype and because neither was at home with the language on opening night.
It is movement that’s Cunningham’s forte, whether in joyful jumping, choreographed steps, or even changing costumes. Yes, she has the audience bouncing with her wild interpretation of the famous banana dance. (Good thing her body stocking is not only opaque but tighter than the false fruit’s adherence to her belt.)
Movement, in fact, is a distinctive feature of the production for which director Harry Bryce must be applauded. He makes time fly by, but with all the transitions well prepared for.
An array of costumes is uncredited in the program. They are spectacular, especially a last shining gold suit molded to Josephine’s body and with a tall plumed hat for her head. Set and lights are functional. Unfortunately, the beginning dialogue and song suffer from over-micing. Fortunately, the musicians meet the challenges of changing genres of music without overwhelming any of the vocalists.
Though I’ve favorably reviewed the show I saw and heard, I confess I miss having heard anything like the real Josephine Baker singing as well her later sophisticated dance. I also feel that, essentially, her story before Paris doesn’t seem much different than others presented in Sarasota about Alberta Hunter and Ethel Waters as well as elsewhere about Bessie Smith. So I’d appreciate a sequel about the fascinating, unique adult part of Baker’s life, and I think many of the people involved in Blackbird could produce a fitting follow-up.
