Center Stage with Penn State's Center Stage

       I’ll admit that when I arrived at the Playhouse Theatre after a long day of classes, I was struggling to keep my eyes open.  Shortly after I was seated though, African drums sounded, dancers flooded the stage, and I was suddenly wide-awake.  The Penn State Center Stage performance of Tarell Alvin McCraney’s In the Red and Brown Water uses a creative mix of passion, music, and humor to engage the audience in a deeper story about love and heartbreak. 

         In the Red and Brown Water focuses on Oya, an African American girl and high school track-star.  Oya’s ailing mother, Mama Moja, keeps her daughter heavily guarded, especially when it comes to the men of the town who are openly infatuated with the talented girl.  When Mama passes away, Oya is left without guidance and protection.  The men in the town see her passing as an opening, and the battle for Oya’s affection begins.

         The two biggest contenders for her love are Shango, a tough and seductive man with mostly sex on his mind, and Ogun, a caring man who may be too nice for Oya’s taste.  She flops between Shango and Ogun, unsure of what is best for her, yet desiring to become pregnant and start a family.  In her state of confusion, Oya also loses an opportunity for an athletic scholarship, adding to her sadness.  In a dramatic ending, Oya discovers that Shango has impregnated another woman.  Unable to handle the news, she slices off her ear and gives it to Shango so that he can always have a piece of her.     

         While it took me the length of In the Red and Brown Water to understand, I was intrigued by the deeper meaning presented by the play.  From the show’s start, local troublemaker, Elegba, describes his perpetual dreams of Oya, naked and surrounded in red and brown water.  This symbolically foreshadows the play’s ending, where Oya is left bleeding in a fit of destructive passion, with red blood flowing from her head, down her brown skin.  

         Besides the engaging storyline, I found the acting and ensemble impressive.  I thought that actress Dré Parker, playing Oya, did a fantastic job of portraying the lost girl.  Parker had the difficult job of balancing the character’s personality between naïve and thoughtful, and tainted and disturbed.  I appreciated the humor and lightheartedness sprinkled throughout the show as well.  While the plot was rather dark at times, the sexual humor kept the audience awake and laughing.  I was also impressed with the music and dancing featured in the show.  The cultural vibe emanated by the combination of choreography and drumming was unlike any performance I’ve seen before.  The moves of the ensemble were precise and eye-catching, and everyone looked well trained in that particular style of dance.
 

         My only complaint about the performance was the aesthetics of the show.  I understand that the blandness of the outfits and set forced the audience to concentrate on the plot, but it I was only left confused.  The current language and dialogue mixed with their ragged outfits had me wondering where or when the show was taking place.  As I said earlier though, the rest of the show compensated for this issue. 

         Having recently attended another Penn State production, I had expectations set when going into this show.   In the Red and Brown Water exceeded these expectations, and reminded me of a professional show.  The level of expertise impressed me, and I would recommend attending a Penn State Center Stage performance to anyone interested in checking one out.