A Black Ensemble production, no matter what the subject, guarantees unbridled entertainment. The latest musical, "I Am Who I Am, The Story of Teddy Pendergrass," offers everything fans expect from the company: great music, laughs and a casual biography. However, "I Am Who I Am" manages to stand out, with a story about a more recent and relevant performer and actors who blow the house down with a steamy (literally and figuratively) show.
Teddy Pendergrass ruled '70s and early '80s R&B. A sex symbol known for his gruff and soulful baritone as well as risque "women only" concerts, the singer was the first African American to earn five platinum albums consecutively. His musical significance is often overlooked because a car accident left him a quadriplegic in 1982 and stymied his career.
Opening with the mature Teddy (played by powerhouse Kevin Mcllvane) in a wheelchair, the play starts with the present and then jumps to the past. It's not the best storytelling technique for those unfamiliar with Pendergrass, but the story never holds the focus for Black Ensemble plays: It's all about the message and the music. In this case, the uplifting message is "disability does not mean inability." Mcllvane discusses the discomfort and frustration of being trapped in a wheelchair convincingly, but it’s still an aside to the mind-blowing music.
The younger Teddy (a smooth Rashawn Thompson) performs his hits with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes with all the required swagger. "The Love I Lost," "Where Are All My Friends" and "If You Don't Know Me By Now," showcase the charisma that made Pendergrass a star. But it was Mcllvane's mature Teddy that pulled out all the stops.
With a busted air-conditioner on a warm spring night and a sold-out crowd crammed into the small theater, the space was already overheated. When Mcllvane strolled down the aisle in a gold satin suit, crooning "Close The Door," the temperature leaped to scorching. Kneeling to sing to women in the audience, he captured the look and the raw nuances of Pendergrass. Hysteria set in and women were hypnotized out of their seats and onto the stage. By the time he got to the up-tempo "Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose," gray-haired ladies were shaking their booties and rubbing on his chest.
Besides a show stopping, spot-on Patti Labelle performance by Dawn Mitchell, "I Am Who I Am" is all about Teddy Pendergrass' music. Details of the life-altering accident, where he crashed his Rolls Royce into a tree, accompanied by a transsexual exotic dancer, are glossed over. So are explanations about his various children and the womanizing that produced them. This play celebrates Teddy Pendergrass' musical legacy with style and unforgettable spirit. If you want to learn about his life, as Mcllvane's mature Teddy instructs, "read my book."
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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