CHICAGO—Many of my readers are aware of the fine quality of theater that is presented on a regular basis at The Northlight in Skokie.
For those of you who have not made the trip, I strongly suggest you do so as their current production, Gees Bend ( a Gospel Music Play) is a marvelous piece that tells a wonderful story spanning more than 60 years in the life of Sadie Pettway and women of Gees Bend, Alabama.
The story is about the quilts that Sadie created and how they made the town famous as they became works of art rather than just bed covers.
Sadie, after a lifetime enduring racial indignities; the hardship of being one of the working poor; a husband who only wanted her to cook, sew, and make babies and beat her when she disobeyed him, becomes a great artist, and even more importantly, a great human being. Based on true events, this is a heartwarming 90-minute production directed by Chuck Smith. The script has a tremendous amount of feeling and each character, written by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder, was inspired by what she learned about Gees Bend women.
The story is about how each scrap, rag, and piece of thread, was part of the women's being, woven together to keep them as unit. It is a story that will open your eyes to a different side of African American existence.
John Steven Crowley is a powerful Macon, the man who steals Sadie away from her mother and sister because she is young, can cook, and appears to made for having babies.
Penelope Walker plays both Sadie's mother and her eldest daughter and Jacqueline Williams is truly a delight as older sister Nella, who for some reason can't cook or sew but she can love.
Young Charlette Speigner will astound you with her Sadie as she ages from 15 to 80-plus during 90 minutes. Richard and Jacqueline Penrod's set is simple and works well in the story and Keith Parham's lighting is perfection.The Gospel music adds great flavor to the story and Ms. Wilder's words ring very true as we witness the changing times for African American men and women during these years.
We even are told that Martin Luther King preached at the church of Gees Bend and that Sadie drank from the same water fountain that he did in her trip to Selma- what a wonderful story!
Gees Bend
The Northlight
The North Shore Center For The Performing Arts
9501 N. Skokie Boulevard (just South of Old Orchard)
Tickets: 847-673-6300 or online at www.northlight.org
Closes: March 9
Alan Bresloff writes theater reviews for the Chicago area.
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