Two Queens One Castle, a Mixed Blood production at Music Box Theatre on 9/19/07

By: Janet Preus

Two Queens One Castle - Publicity Photo

Music by J.D. Steele & William Hubbard

Mixed Blood Theatre’s production of Jevetta Steele’s autobiographical co-write, Two Queens One Castle has returned with Steele’s deeply personal story and engaging songs. Mixed Blood commissioned the piece and first produced it in 2002. If you can handle this much gospel, R&B and soft jazz (I can) you cannot help but love the show’s protagonist. We all know Jevetta Steele can sing, but you may not realize that she is also an actress with extraordinary gifts. As simply “the Wife” she owned this stage from beginning to end.

Three women (played by Aimee K. Bryant, Thomasina Petrus and Roz White) represented significant players in her life and provided real life back-up in the mostly sung libretto. Glorious four-part harmony intermittently soothed our souls and rocked the joint, backed by Sanford Moore’s musical leadership on keys. The mix of vocal qualities and personal acting styles established an ensemble dynamic that gave the whole piece an elasticity and flow. Worth a special mention was Petrus’ “Sister Minister”. She absolutely nailed the unmistakable cadence and hefty wails of a true gospel preacher.

The comforting synergy of these supporting characters sustained us through the building tension between the Wife and the Husband, played by Jahi Kearse, complicated by his lover, played by Xavier Rice. Rice’s solo piece, “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”, started as a simple and beautiful ballad. Unfortunately it lost its power when it ramped up into a too predictable up-tempo. I think I might have been riveted to the floor if he had just stood perfectly still, full front, and maintained that measured sadness.

Of course all their lives were blown apart by the inevitable violence that deceit spawns. That moment, too – hitting us as it should at the act break – got a little sugar coated by the music. The song, “I Ain’t Suppose to Be Here” spoke to the moment, to be sure, but followed too close on the heels of their moment of true crisis. The same thing happened with the Husband’s “It’s You” – another heartfelt ballad that we didn’t really need. Kearse was clearly capable of playing this moment with more edge, but the music was too fluffy and trivialized the moment for him. Even silence would have had more impact for me.

Nevertheless the beauty of this show is in its emotional honesty that didn’t back away from the awful truth, but refused to wallow in it either. The denouement could have been too painful to watch, but it was not. As the Wife crawled back to emotional health, and her now ex-husband lurked in the shadows, we were there with her to affirm her mother’s demands to “get out of bed”. Somehow her struggle was noble, and even in her moments of rage and despair, she maintained her dignity.

With “Lay Me Down” a soothing resolution begins; the Wife starts to listen to her past voices and make peace with the reality that will never leave her. In her finest moment she bargains with God –a moment that was so real I would have believed His presence in that room. Steele is that good.

There were some technical issues. I liked the concept for the set, with its curved ramp, movable platforms and mirrored doors. However, it seemed too “busy” and colorful for the story, especially since it clashed inexplicably with the costumes. That was distracting. Let’s just say these two decisions didn’t support this stellar cast as they should.

Location Info: Music Box Theatre
Artist Info: Mixed Blood Theatre

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