I will never forget the first time I visited an African American church. It was in Detroit, Michigan, and I was all of 17 years old. This moving time swept me off my feet and changed me forever from deep inside my being.
For a mainline Protestant with a pale complexion like me, I had been raised to expect a somewhat reserved worship experience, a quiet and heady Sunday morning for a group that sometimes gets dubbed “the frozen chosen.” From that first time outside that comfort zone in the mid-1980s to my experiences in Black churches ever since, I am frequently moved and mesmerized by the musicality and physicality of the worship time, rooted in a deep and courageous message of hope, community, and resilience. Thanks to depictions and descriptions of this sacred space in popular culture, we can all encounter this specific power and reverence, regardless of our own social locations.
Everything so reliable, reverent, and revolutionary about the Black church experience, especially in the American south, shines in an exquisite theatrical rendering with “Crowns: A Gospel Musical,” currently being produced by the Cookeville Theatre Company at the Wesley Chapel Theatre on the south side of 9th street, just east of the Tech campus and just south of the Collegeside Church.
Written by Regina Taylor and directed by Michael Ruff from the Cumberland County Playhouse, our current offering features a fierce local cast as part of the Cookeville Theatre Company’s annual efforts to support and feature the creative talent in our local African-American community. As Black History Month in February gives way to Women’s History Month in March, this rousing celebration emphasizes the role of strong women in the Black community, and in the Black church, particularly.
Whether it’s Regina Pullin’s incomparable interpretation of Mother Shaw or Raniece really bringing it as Velma, the voice, vernacular, and vision of strong Black women truly transforms the historic Wesley space into a genuinely sanctified locale. The strong singing on a songlist of mostly iconic classics had a way of getting into my soul, and I found myself fighting back the tears at many intervals throughout the show.
The storyline blends humor with serious topics, and everything spirals around the statements made by stunning fashion, especially the crowns, the gorgeous hats that adorn the heads of Black women in their Sunday best. Saneisa Savage as Yolanda highlights the contrasts between young and old, north and south, urban and rural, and this gives way to a special unity that brings everyone together through shared experiences.
Many of the significant moments in family and community, from baptisms to funerals, from tragedy to triumph, all center in the shared stories of empowerment and expression by these amazing matrons of the Black community, from grandmother to aunt, from mother to daughter. Superb set design and costume design perfectly accentuate the spirit of the show.
The backing music by Lucy Knowles on piano and David Klein on percussion really anchored the energy of the production, adding some serious flair to the sparkling dance moves by Sya Johnson, supported by the choreography of Shane Langford.
Cookeville is beyond blessed by the cultural diversity that is honored annually in these superb productions by Cookeville Theatre Company. In addition to being touched to the edge of tears more than once, I felt my body moving in my seat, feeling ready to join in with an arm waving or an Amen shouting. My opening night experience connected Friday night to Sunday morning, and you will have that strong feeling of worship and connection, no matter your background and no matter what show you attend. Just be sure to catch one before it closes.
-Andrew William Smith is a local poet, teacher, & DJ. He has been the theater critic for Cookeville for the last 20 years.
As of this post, the remaining shows are:
Thursday March 26 @7:30 pm (Pay what you can night)
Friday, March 27 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday March 28 @ 7:30 pm (Matinee)
The venue is at 271 E. 9th St Cookeville
More info - www.cookevilletheatreco.org
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