Kuntu’s “Ma Rainey” hits the right notes

by Rasida Olabisi

            Kuntu Repertory Theatre presented August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” in the auditorium of the Homewood branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. “Ma Rainey is the only play of Wilson’s “century cycle” that did not take place in Pittsburgh; instead it takes place in a low-budget studio in the mid-1920s Chicago.

            While the title may lead you to believe the play is all about the famous Ma Rainey, “mother of the blues” (an oft-mentioned fact through the course of the play), its more about the undercurrents of the exploitation of music by the record producers (still relevant nearly a century later) and the quest for dignity and self-determination in a still young 20^th-century darkened by the long shadow of Jim Crow as the great migration is picking up steam.

            The studio operators are determined to maintain an upper hand so that late arrival of Ma Rainey causes some consternation to the high-strung Sturdyvant, who is placated by his minion and assistant, Irvin. As the musicians trickle in ahead of Ma, they head to a lower level rehearsal room to warm up. They use that time to shoot the breeze, sharing stories about life, music, philosophy and verbal josting.

            The newest member of the backup band, Levee, is the young hothead of the lot and somewhat of a legend in his own mind, ready to set the world on fire with his horn. Toledo, the piano player, occasionally looks up from his newspaper and shares his wisdom without being asked while Cutler, the trombonist and Slow Drag, the bassist, bicker over sharing smokes. Levee, excited at the prospect of recording his arrangement of “Black Bottom,” assumes the band is jealous when they balk about the new version of the song and the testosterone and accusations fly.