BLUES IN THE NIGHT by Carol Kaufman Segal

            Blues In the Night, is a Tony and Olivier Award-nominated musical playing at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis).  Conceived and directed by Sheldon Epps, it was originally staged by Sheldon Epps and Gregory Hines as a review in an off-Broadway theatre in 1980.  It opened on Broadway in 1982 and was nominated for a Tony Award for the Best Musical.  The Wallis is pleased to bring Sheldon Epps back to The Wallis with a phenomenal cast that performs 26 top Blues from the 20’s and 30’s as they convey their stories through their songs.  (There is no dialogue in the production.)

            The time is the late 1930’s, the place a cheap hotel in Chicago (set by John Lacovelli).  There are three women occupying three separate rooms in the hotel, a parlor occupied by The Woman of the World (Paulette Ivory), a bedroom where The Lady From the Road (Yvette Cason) inhabits, and a sitting room, the dwelling of The Girl With a Date (Bryce Charles).  Chester Gregory (The Man in the Saloon) rounds out the performers.

            With perfect voices to enhance the songs presented in the production, one can’t help but feel the emotion of each one, whether sung solo, or when all three women put their voices together for something more upbeat.  Bringing back twenty-six well-known songs could not be more entertaining, especially when presented by such high quality talent.  Included are such well-known songs such as Stompin’ at the Savoy, Lover Man, When Your Lover Has Gone, Blues In the Night, Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out, and I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues.

            The Musical Director is Abdul Hamid Royal. The band,  ed by pianist Lanny Hartley,  includes Kevin O’Neal (bass), Randall Willis and Louis Van Taylor (reeds), Lance Lee (percussion), and Fernando Pullum,   The musicians are great, adding  to the quality of the production.  Costumes by Dana Rebecca Woods aid in the characterizations of the performers and the stories they are relaying.

            Blues In the Night is playing in the Lovelace Theater in the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Tuesdays through Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 PM and 8 PM through May 20.

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