Race is explored in ‘Joe Turner’s Come and Gone’

Pasadena, CA (News 4 Us Online) – Playwright August Wilson was a master creative force with his cyclic presentation of Black life in and around Pittsburgh. Through all of his tales and stories told from the Black perspective, Wilson has always brought a sense of layered humanity to his many characters. 

Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” which starred at A Noise Within Theatre in October and early November, is another example of the complexity that Black life has often seared through. 

Set in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” brings together a line of characters trying to find their lot in life shortly after the ending of slavery. 

The time is 1911. Although the backdrop for these characters is in the North, the aftermath of slavery and all of its ills had ways of manifesting into different forms outside of its home in the South. 

So what we see in “Joe Turner’s Come and Come” is an extension of that paradigm. Individuals like Herald Loomis (Kai A. Ealy), who find a boarding house run by Seth (Alex Morris) and Bertha (Veralyn Jones) seek out a niche for themselves as they search for identity and purpose. 

Loomis is a troubled man. He doesn’t know who he is. His personal life has been shattered. His purpose in life turned inside out thanks to the wiles of slave plantation owner Joe Turner. As he stumbles on Seth and Bertha’s boarding home, Loomis is In the process of trying to find clarity for his own life. 

Yet the peace he truly yearns for will only come in finding his wife, Martha, whom he became separated from after being ensnared into bondage by Turner. The brooding spirit of Loomis brings a large dose of trepidation from Seth about staying at the boarding house. Bertha doesn’t see what Seth sees in Loomis. 

She is unbothered by Seth’s worrisome ways over Loomis. Bynum, in a the scene-stealing role portrayed by Gerald C. Rivers, ushers in a sense of calm to the place with his supernatural and religious banter. 

Bynum, is one of those individuals you see in the Black circle of life that brings words of wisdom to almost every situation. In the Black community that could mean anybody. It could be the preacher or that spiritual aunt or uncle or family friend. 

While Seth is driving himself and everyone else in the boarding house on edge with his frantic concerns over Loomis, Bynum calms the nerves of everyone involved with his soothsayings and relaxed postures. He’s the cool guy in the room. 

What Loomis seeks he can’t find. As the result of this dilemma, he starts to go beyond the call of duty in his search for Martha. He almost becomes obsessed…to the point that his demeanor adversely changes and he seems to be more paranoid and more alienated as each day goes by.    

With other borders around like the carefree Jeremy (Brandon Gill) and the lovely, but independent Molly Cunningham (Nija Okoro) around, Seth sees the unpredictable behavior of Loomis as a potential problem. He comes to the conclusion that Loomis must go, but Seth doesn’t quite know how to confront the visitor about it.  

While Seth frets over the presence of Loomis in his temporary living quarters, Bertha and Bynum try to be the voices of reasons. However, Seth is spot on about his worries over Loomis. 

Loomis is trying to master the demons of being another man’s property. He must try to get past the years of forced hard labor into seeing the person he once thought he was. On top of that, he needs to reconnect with his family. He needs to find Martha. 

Finding her, he thinks, would make him whole again, make things right. Even after finding Martha (Tori Danner) and their daughter (Jessica Williams), Loomis discovers that something is still amiss. 

Loomis is no different, though, than anyone else who stays in the boarding house. The issue of race and discrimination engulfs everyone. Even the Black folks living in the North during this particular era was not immune from absolving themselves from this lingering issue.   

By the time the electric stage play concludes, Loomis uncovers the truth to his situation. What he truly needed was the renewing of his mind, a supernatural transformation that would allow him to be spiritually and emotionally delivered from the hellacious mental occupation that had emasculated his self-worth.