Review by Alex Eichholz . . .
Whether you’re in the front pew every Sunday or you’ve never set foot in a chapel, you must let the dazzling company of the new musical Saturday Church, which opened tonight at New York Theatre Workshop, show you how church is done. Guided by the infectious musical collaborations of Sia and Honey Dijon, Saturday Church tells the moving coming-of-age story of Ulysses, a young man still living at home with his mother and unsure of his future. Often with grace but not without a little bit of mess, we follow Ulysses on his journey as he searches for his place in his religion, his local queer community, and his family. We see him navigate the multitude of emotions that arise as a queer young adult in our current social climate, which determine if and how all three of his worlds can intersect.
Saturday Church deals with how the loving forces in someone’s life can sometimes deny them the right to be themselves. For Ulysses (Bryson Battle), it is church and family who compete for his loyalties. They consist of his mother, Amara (Kristolyn Lloyd), and his Aunt Rose (Joaquina Kalukango), the sister of his late father. Ulysses is told by them both that his flamboyant personality will come to no good and bring him no peace. To conceal and separate that part of himself he ventures down a new path of queer exploration. Though on this path his family collapses, another is found when Ulysses is taken in by a community of people he finds at a makeshift gathering called Saturday Church.
Helmed by the superb J. Harrison Ghee, the cast is luminous. Ghee presents an interesting dichotomy as they are double cast as both an ultra-feminine, fairy godmother-like Black Jesus and as Pastor Lewis, a by-the-book man of the cloth. Ghee commands the stage like a true legend in the making and sings like an angel. It’s great to see them back onstage in something that shows off so many aspects of their considerable talents. As Ulysses, Bryson Battle oozes care and empathy, exploding with moments of strength and power in a multitude of solo moments. Honestly, he sings like an angel. As Aunt Rose, Joaqina Kalukango gives an incredibly driven, antagonistic performance, giving the audience someone to root against. B. Noel Thomas’s portrayal of Ebony shows us the meaning of the word “Mother” in all its forms and responsibilities, and Kristolyn Lloyd, who plays Ulysses’s actual mother, shows what it means to love without bounds. Anania and Caleb Quezon nearly steal the show with quick humor and poise in their roles as Ebony’s friends Heaven and Dijon, respectively, who help run the Saturday Church. And Jackson Kanawha Perry easily charms as Ulysses’ romantic interest, Raymond. Lastly, the fabulous ensemble brings on the energy big time, helping the story float seamlessly. Whether that be as the “congregation” of the Saturday Church or performing dance sequences in transitions, the ball is never dropped.
Whitney White directs the musical with grace and precision that works perfectly in sync with ingenious choreography from Darrell Grand Moultrie. The pacing and flow of the city in diegetic moments of movement, as well as fantastical ballroom sequences, help exude the magic and love of this story. There are many compelling aspects to David Zinn’s scenic design but not without a few weaknesses. The sign reading “Saturday Church, All are welcome, Just be you,” illuminated throughout the entire duration of the performance, is a lovely touch, but the default positioning of the side platforms caused many moments to lose kinetic energy, and the home interior lacked the sense of being lived in. The purple walls came off at times as too much like a Planet Fitness, especially when on occasion aggressively bright LED lights pulsed in the audience’s eyes. Otherwise, Adam Honoré’s lighting design made the space feel bright and colorful. The contrast of warm and cool tones on each side of the stage during Ulysses and Raymond’s first duet in Act 1 was impactful in depicting their growing flirtation. Circling back to themes of over joyous love, the costume designs done by Qween Jean do just that. From the simplest of day-to-day outfits that subtly include touches of personality to the loudest, gorgeous ballroom gowns, these are costumes that fall nothing short of iconic.
Damon Cardasis, co-writer of the book, is the screenwriter and director of the film upon with this musical version is based. He has engaged Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright James Ijames and together they have written a book that serves itself best when funny, less so in certain dramatic moments where the lines become a bit ponderous (Ijames is also credited with additional lyrics). The music by Sia and Honey Dijon is raucous and made me purchase the vinyl in the lobby after the show. You won’t want to settle for a one-time hearing of this score in the theatre, trust me. Cardasis and Ijames have taken immense care in crafting these characters (based on those in the film Saturday Church (2017). They’re funny, original, and endearing. Great company for a night in the theatre.
Tackling timely and ever-important themes of community, family, unconditional love, and queer celebration, Saturday Church joyously showcases how to support from stage. Celebrate the many Black, queer voices in this welcome new musical which, by its final number, provides a near-religious experience that will have you up out of your seat and grooving.
Saturday Church is at New York Theatre Workshop, 79 E. 4th Street, NYC, in a limited engagement now through October 19th. For information, please visit: https://www.nytw.org/show/saturday-church/
Photos by Marc J. Franklin.
Headline Photo: J. Harrison Ghee and Company.
