Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at Goodman Theatre
Smith previously directed the Goodman's celebrated 1997 production of "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," which featured Lennix as Levee and shattered box office records at the time. That production also represented Smith's first opportunity to work directly with playwright August Wilson on one of his shows, an experience that left an indelible mark on the director. "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is really the August Wilson play that hits me in the heart, because directing it allowed me to work directly with him for the first time on one of his shows," said Smith. "I hope the audience comes away from this play understanding just how hard it was for Black musicians in the 1920s, having no control over their music. August loved music—I believe this play was his first major success because it is based on music. Something we did right with the 1997 show was having the actors learn to play their instruments—and this cast is going to do the same."The new production will feature an all-Chicago cast of acclaimed performers, including E. Faye Butler, who recently appeared in "Fat Ham," Al'Jaleel McGhee from "Revolution(s)," and Scott Aiello, known for his work in Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's "Hamlet." Rounding out the ensemble are David Alan Anderson from Writers Theatre's "Stick Fly," Matt DeCaro of "The Cherry Orchard," Marc Grapey from "The Iceman Cometh," Tiffany Renee Johnson who performed in "Holiday," Jabari Khaliq from "Toni Stone," Kelvin Rostin Jr. of "Gem of the Ocean," and Cedric Young from "Inherit the Wind."
Set in 1926 Chicago, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" captures a pivotal moment in American music history during a recording session with Ma Rainey, known as "The Mother of the Blues." The play unfolds in a recording studio where Ma Rainey takes her time preparing to lay down tracks, while tensions mount among her band members. Through their conversations, the musicians share powerful stories of rage, joy, betrayal and faith, building toward a devastating climax that reveals the harsh realities faced by Black artists struggling for autonomy in an exploitative industry.
The play is part of Wilson's celebrated Pittsburgh Cycle, a ten-play series examining the African American experience throughout the twentieth century. While most of the cycle is set in Pittsburgh's Hill District, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" takes place in Chicago, making it particularly resonant for local audiences. The work explores themes of artistic exploitation, racial injustice, and the struggle for dignity and control over one's creative output during the Jim Crow era.
For Lennix, returning to "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" carries deep personal significance. "The setting of this play is now a century ago, and I'm interested in exploring what's changed in our society and what hasn't in that time," said Lennix. "What Ma Rainey means to me as a play, and why it remains my favorite of August Wilson's plays, is the music, the setting in Chicago and the great time Chuck Smith and I had with it in the past. It reminds me of a very potent, robust time in The Goodman's history. I'm not a director and I'm not the actor that I am now without that experience working with Chuck on this play."
The Chicago Reader has called "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" a "genuine American masterpiece," and this spring production promises to honor that legacy while bringing fresh perspective to Wilson's searing examination of race, power, and artistic integrity in Jazz Age America. With Smith and Lennix's proven chemistry and a cast of Chicago's finest performers learning to play their instruments just as the 1997 company did, audiences can expect an authentic and deeply moving theatrical experience.