One Drop

See it if you are interested in the history of race -- & mixed race -- in the US.

Don't see it if you have little patience for cliche, or dull theater.

Also One useful thing that the Trump presidency has accomplished is to focus a spotlight on the unhealed wound of race in the US, a legacy of constitutionally sanctioned slavery & its bitter aftermath. It’s past time for this country to address this wound & do all we can to foster its healing. So I very much wanted “One Drop,” to succeed. The play deals with the incomprehensible racial distinctions made by law in the Southern US in the 19th century & the consequences of those distinctions for the human beings that had to live under this twisted regime. But now that I’ve sat through the play, I can’t report that “One Drop” succeeds either as drama or as message. I found the piece, instead, to be a long, confused pastiche of many stale dramatic clichés. (I wish all the participants in this production well in their future enterprises. Our theater & our society need them.)... Read more Read less

See it if you want to see a play with many ideas that goes nowhere. The actors, mostly amateurs, can barely be heard or understood most of the time.

Don't see it if you're looking for an equal to the great play "the Octoroon", which about the same subject.

See it if a sanitized version of racial relations in the reconstruction South is still tolerable

Don't see it if you need a show with more distance between the author and the subject and that has seen a good editor's knife.

See it if You want to see a play that depicts a real life story of a young man of mixed race searching for his identity.

Don't see it if You want a polished play with a better edited script.

Also This play could have been better with more time spent on developing the main character's thoughts and motivations. Music was good, but was, at times, distracting. Not sure if this was a play or a musical.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy shows based on real life experiences.

Don't see it if you do not want to travel downtown to a theater on First Avenue.

See it if You are interested in a facet of history.

Don't see it if You are not interested in historical information.

See it if the concept and the attempt to present it for an audience is enough for you or if the story strikes a chord, live band was a great addition

Don't see it if if poor accents and poor sound quality annoy you stay away. If you expect the whole cast rather than only 1 or 2 to perform up to par.

Also While the music was a nice addition the singing actually detracted from the show for me. I was hoping for the show to really hit it's stride as it is a story that needs to be told and retold for every generation lest we forget.... Read more Read less

See it if you like stories about race. The live band was great.

Don't see it if While a great story and concept I don't think it was properly executed. Unnecessary singing and slow at times.

See it if U are interested in shameful American history of slavery & discrimination. U like folk opera about love & hope;enjoy overcoming odds.

Don't see it if U can't deal with topics of slavery & discrimination. U can't appreciate early African American music. It's a good play. Go .

Also An educational play fitting for Black History Month to remind us of the injustice of slavery & discrimination causing human suffering. It's about forbidden love based on color. A baby sired by a Black man is wrested from his White mom because he is considered "tainted" by Black blood. He was raised by a Black servant who like other oppressed Blacks seek comfort in their faith waiting for a Sweet Chariot to take them home when The Saints Come Marching In.

The boy can pass for White but is an outcast in both worlds & he is hopeful for a better future while wondering about his real parents.
He finds love with a free mixed race lady & story ends with message that hope, daring to dream, & faith with perseverance can overcome insurmountable odds.

The talented Andrea Fulton wrote the play & music cleverly using early Black Music of spiritual, Gullah ring shout, blues, hand claps& homophonic percussions & shuffling dance to add a 2nd dimension to document Black
history-very moving! Bravo!... Read more Read less

See it if you are interested in a period piece from the deep South where a man might have passed for White except for that One Drop of Black blood.

Don't see it if You are not interested in a story that seems more personal than universal.

See it if You like good music. You enjoy historical drama. You like family drama. It was immersive.

Don't see it if You don't enjoy period pieces. You don't like a diverse cast

See it if you are looking for a great story and can disregard writing, composition and inconsistencies in the presentation.

Don't see it if you don't have patience to follow a poorly constructed piece.

Also The cast was great, that staging was well thought out, the music was a highlight. The writing was clunky and all over the place. The way the show was constructed moved at a snail's pace and was difficult to follow storylines as they were dropped and re-started with no rhyme or reason it seemed. The cast did a great job with that they had. The staging was inventive. The music was beautiful.... Read more Read less

See it if support community theater and well written stories.

Don't see it if you prefer large productions.

See it if You’re looking for a cheap way to have a pleasant evening.

Don't see it if You’re looking for an ensemble of consistent good voices and actors, of if you’re looking for a captivating or surprising plot

See it if You can stand heavy southern accents and decipher poor English

Don't see it if You have trouble hearing or with the accents I myself couldn’t understand what was going on