In Transport Group’s world premiere musical, an African-American family grapples with decades of inequality, violence, and suppression in the South. More…
From the show:
Benny, an orderly at a nursing home, delicately balances his role as a caregiver to an ornery white resident who shares a contentious past with his white boss while at the same time caring for his own family as the fight for equality grips the nation in the midst of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Thirty years later, his daughter, Ruby, struggles to understand an incident of police brutality against her 15-year-old son. This unique musical, spanning nearly half a century and three generations, asks us to contemplate the cycle of violence in this country and how we will find hope and create change against the backdrop of hate that plagues America.
PLEASE NOTE: Please arrive early as there will be no late seating during the first act. Late patrons will be asked to wait until intermission to sit.
See it if u want to hear two spectacular singers perform a chamber musical parable about the multi-generational effects of the Civil Rights movement.
Don't see it if you expect a concise story, a taut narrative, profundity or splashy staging.
Also With some tightening of the narrative and the character motivation (es... Read more Read less
See it if Two beautifully-written interrelated one-act solo operettas. One family's involvement in the Civil Rights movement and its repercussions.
Don't see it if you don't enjoy thoughtful, intimate musicals
See it if See it for the singing and the end of the second act.
Don't see it if you want a perfect book and don't like weird staging decisions, like actors moving to different parts of the stage seemingly randomly.
Also After the first act, I would have given it a 70 or 71. The singer was ... Read more Read less
See it if You want to see any production of it because you've never seen it. It wasn't bad,there was some very good acting.I think the story itself is
Don't see it if You don't want to see a long show with 2 intermissions.
See it if The music was wonderful and well thought out. Bare budget production that pushed boundaries and rendered an emotional hook.
Don't see it if You want to simply be entertained and do not want to walk out of the theater with a challenge to the way you see the world.
See it if Civil Rights is a topic of particular importance or interest to you.
Don't see it if You don't like one-person shows. This is in many ways two one-act, one-person musicals in one evening (with connected characters/ideas).
See it if You are ok with slow moving stories and with music and singing that creates a solemn mood
Don't see it if You are looking for a fun upbeat musical or if you don't enjoy serious or racially themed shows
See it if you want to experience cruelty of racial injustice fr inside. Ea act is one very talented performer. Gr. musicians/singers. Moving subject.
Don't see it if you want fully coherent, insightful lyrics. Music is lush, but repetitive. 1st story of 2 wh women disconnected thematically. Slow in parts.
See it if You want to experience some spectacular singing as a way to tell an unfortunately all too familiar story of how far we still need to grow.
Don't see it if You don’t want to see a story about the civil rights movement and be reminded why we need things like Black Lives Matter today.
Also Phenomenal singing and an interesting way to tell this story but it ju... Read more Read less
See it if An emotionally potent chamber musical on generational civil rights & a legacy of a father/daughter's responsibility to it Beautifully sung
Don't see it if Both one-act librettos for the piece are poorly structured; causing confusion & frustrations (esp in 1st act) Once cleared, emotions erupt
See it if you’d like to experience a quirky, personal take on a vital political moment in our country’s civil rights history.
Don't see it if you demand complete clarity in your musicals, or prefer them traditional.
Also “Broadbend, Arkansas” is uneven. I’m rating it as high as I do for 2 r... Read more Read less
See it if you enjoy good chamber music and wonderful voices in two stories wonderfully told and sung. Important look at time in recent history.
Don't see it if you want a full musical production: bare stage, basically two solo performances, hearing voices over orchestra, stage lights blind front row
See it if I was very impressed by the skills of the actors. They had amazing singing voices and were very intense and perfect in their roles
Don't see it if However, as a play it didn’t exactly work for me. It would have been better as monologues. Story was compelling but music was not.
See it if you enjoy a masterful and powerful play performed by two wonderful actors. Very simple set but this drama depends on dialogue.
Don't see it if you don't like discussions about racial injustice and violence or you want a light drama.
Also The second half with the actress was a bravura performance. I wish the... Read more Read less
See it if Two solo acts that’s mostly sung monolog. Must lean and focus on the related stories of racial injustice told 27 yrs apart. 2nd act stronger
Don't see it if Need sets or elaborate staging. Don’t like solo shows or want a “musical” to be traditional. This is a fresh, contemp style of storytelling.
See it if you enjoy musicals which are different in both form & format. The orchestra was exceptional, the music and singing hauntingly beautiful.
Don't see it if you only like large format, splashy musicals with lots of costumes and little content.
See it if Hybrid form 2 person musicals with 7 piece orchestra and elliptical story-telling R 4 U, 1960s storyline of Freedom Riders piques interest
Don't see it if Not intrigued by subject matter, small cast & large visible upstage orchestra that often drowns out the miked singers
See it if you like shows that make you think, that challenge your viewpoint, that entertain, and that inspire.This is a gem.Brilliant history lesson.
Don't see it if you want sunshine and chipmunks or you are looking for a big, Bway musical show.This is a small show with a huge message and a big heart
See it if Poignant, bittersweet musicalized monologues honoring resolute endurance in the face of a hostile majority. Superb actor-singers.
Don't see it if Hard pill to swallow. You’re discouraged by reminders that every small & large thing has to be rancorously wrested from those who'd harm.
Also Not exactly a toe-tapping musical, but moving. Cunningham’s polished a... Read more Read less
See it if A jewel of a chamber musical. Beautiful score played by unusual combo and sung by two talented actors. The story is dark, but uplifting.
Don't see it if Justin Cunningham and Danyel Fulton are terrific. Touching reminiscence of races existing together in the small-town South despite violence