Kahiem Rivera (left) plays Chaka and Miriam Tabb is his mother, Anaya, in Being Chaka. at the New Ohio Theatre.
Part ghost story, part coming-of-age drama, part memory play, Being Chaka—written by Tara Amber, Chuk Obasi and Nalini Sharma—is a provocative investigation into racism in America. The surreal plot centers on (Kahiem Rivera), a black 16-year-old transfer student at a prep school in Manhattan. As the action unfolds, he continually shifts between reality and dreamscapes, with the line between the two worlds often blurring.
Joey Brenneman (left) as Caroline and Amanda Marikar as the principal Ms. K in Being Chaka. Photographs by Kevin Condon.
In his real world, Chaka is gradually adapting to going to private school and making new friends with people of different races and social backgrounds. There’s the spunky Asian girl Kunzang (Tara Amber) and the white fraternal twins Ethan and Maddy (Colin DePaula and Annie Hartkemeyer, respectively). Then there are the faculty members, led by the young ambitious principal Ms. K (Amanda Marikar), who’s Indian American, a veteran history teacher named Annalisa (Joy Kelly), who’s black, and a gym teacher and wannabe musician (Chuck Montgomery), named Gunnar, who is white.
When Chaka drifts into his dreamscapes, he encounters two ghosts: they are a 40-year-old black man named Willy (Jae Jackson) and his similarly aged wife Purilla (LaWanda Hopkins), who lived in the 1800s. Evidently the couple are still grieving for their infant son Jessie, who tragically died of a fever when a white doctor refused their pleas to treat him. Although they will eventually tell their sad story, they are often silent and hover on the periphery of the performing space, with their movements eerily aligning to Chaka’s emotional fluctuations.
That said, this mysterious ghostly couple are riveting to watch from the get-go—and they provide the play with some of its most poignant moments. For example, Willy and Purilla, in separate scenes, are spotlighted carrying an empty crib, a symbolic reminder of their son’s untimely death.
“Some actors are strategically seated in the audience for some scenes to enliven the conversation and even chat with audience members about the goings-on. ”
Being Chaka, which is directed by Vieve Radha Price and Chuk Obasi, brings to fruition TÉA Artistry’s multiyear exploration into the construct of race. It’s little surprise that the principal’s latest addition to her school’s curriculum is Affinity Groups, which offers students an opportunity to explore their racial awareness and develop their “cultural fluency.” Accordingly, Ms. G has recruited Annalisa and Gunnar to facilitate the student “talks” but not to assert their authority. She insists that the participants, including Chaka, be allowed to discuss the most difficult questions and terms surrounding racism. Naturally, there are nods to “woke” rhetoric, the Black Lives Matter movement, the predicament of racially “passing,” and more.
Things dramatically heat up when Ethan and Maddy’s mother Caroline (Joey Brenneman)—a board member of East Prep High School—visits the school one day and overhears her son and daughter vehemently arguing in an Affinity Group session about whether or not they are racist. Instead of allowing her teenagers a chance to hear each other out, Caroline imperiously enters the classroom and remarks: “Hi, I was just walking by and caught what you were talking about. Let me assure you both—you are not racist.”
LaWanda Hopkins as Purilla and Jae Jackson is Willy in the coming-of-age play.
Caroline’s outspokenness doesn’t end in her son and daughter’s classroom. She goes home and writes a letter to the New York Times, alleging that the Affinity Groups provides too much freedom of expression to the students without enough guidance from staff. When the letter is published, a lot of fur flies in the principal’s office. Although the contents of the letter might not accurately describe what actually went on in the Affinity Groups session, the reality is that pushback from a parent can prevent a potentially positive program from taking off. Or, as Ms. K diplomatically remarks to Caroline at the school’s fundraising auction, “I appreciate you expressing your concerns. … I’ll look at the curriculum again and, well, I’ll take a look.”
The acting is a true ensemble effort, with each actor turning in a decent performance. Indeed, the play is the thing here, and the actors all serve their dramatic moments. On a shoestring budget, Nora Marlow Smith has covered the bases with her minimalist set. Complemented by Andre Segar’s lighting, this production is the epitome of no-frills.
While the majority of the actors in this 11-member ensemble perform on stage, Being Chaka also has an immersive feel: Some actors are strategically seated in the audience for some scenes to enliven the conversation and even chat with audience members about the goings-on. All in all, this actor-audience interaction creates a bond between the performers and spectators and ratchets up the energy in the show.
Whether Being Chaka will prove to be merely an interesting theatrical experiment or a pathway to even more pieces on racism, only time will tell.
TÉA Artistry’s production of Being Chaka runs through May 27 at the New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher St.). Evening performances are at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; matinees are at 2 p.m. Sunday. For tickets and information, visit www.newohiotheatre.org or www.ovationtix.com.
Playwrights: Tara Amber, Chuk Obasi and Nalini Sharma
Direction: Vieve Radha Price and Chuk Obasi
Sets & Costumes: Nora Marlow Smith
Lighting: Andre Segar
