Centerstage

User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Crumbs From the Table of Joy: Opening night exceeded my expectations. I have minimal experience with Father Divine's in Philadelphia so it was an added surprise for me. From the German singing to the water treading sister-in-law, I was both enjoyed and was challenged by the script. However, the final scene was triumphant all due to Ernestine, played by the Amina Robinson . It was very powerful!

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User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

"Crumbs" @ Center Stage: The set was minimal, and yet said so much.

There were huge columns dispearsed throughout the stage and around the proscenium. A huge frame with a crest is suspended at an angle stage left. Two old film projectors are suspended at down stage left and right, with lighting strategically placed in movable settings. The lighting was extremly effective; raising, lowering and spotting as the story moved along. The use of the lighting and what appeared to be scrim at the end of Act II was particularly noteworthy, giving the character the presence of a hologram for me. Center stage would raise and lower to create a living room, a dining room, a subway car, a bus station, or the local congregation of Father Divine's International Peace Mission Movement. Even the actors participated in moving the story along. With the set being either on the raise, or on wheels, the scene changes were almost unnoticeable. I was never distracted from the story.

Amina S. Robinson (Ernestine Crump) was the most engaging storyteller, equally matched in talent by Edwina Findley (Ermina Crump) as a most familiar and precocious sister. Ernestine guides us through the story of her migrating to the North with her family to Brooklyn after the death of her mother. Her father's obsession with the Peace Mission Movement is met head on when his wife's sister moves in to take care of her and her sister. A notoriously open flirt and stauch Communist, they clash as rumors of him being a Communist as well is coupled with her denouncing Father Divine. Insult to injury is added when after being absent for a time, he comes with a German immigrant woman and announces that they were married - and moves her in with the rest of the family.

Ernestine blends her childhood recollections with her love for the cinema with the spinning of this story, and what I bore witness to was a really wonderful story equally balanced with comedy, seriousness and history. LeLand Gantt as the troubled, yet stern Godfrey Crump portrays a man who is wrestling with is spiritual issues, his wanting to do right by his daughters, along with quelling his lustful passions for his sister-in-law was very convincing for me. I bought it without hesitation. I felt that Kelly Taffe's portrayal was a little over the top in the beginning, but by the second act had moved into another protrayal of a woman who had grown bitter with her life, and found solace in liquor. I did not hate it, it just did not do it for me initially, though I liked her more in the second act.

Overall, I found the play delightful and informative. I especially loved the imaginary movie segue ways, like the rhumba scene between Lily and Gerte Crump (Patricia Ageheim). Gerte's table top rendition of "Can't Help It" a la Marlene Deitrich was a riot! So, first and foremost, bravo to director David Schweizer for a supurb job. Exceptional work by the production team as well. I am most impressed by the lighting and the staging in this play because the two played so well. Add wonderful blends of straight ahead jazz, then called be-bop along with some fifties urban vernacular from Ermina, and little rock and roll - and there you are! Harlem in the 1950's - political, edgy and always changing. Told through the eyes of a young girl on the eve of graduation from high school, whose favorite past time is old black and white movies.

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User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Crumbs From the Table of Joy: This play is very inspiring. I could relate to the characters and understand their personal viewpoints. Every person who sees this play will be touched. The price of the play is $20-$50.Please I beg you to go and see this play.

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