By J.E. BALLANTYNE JR.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Five upstanding church ladies in Depression-era Chicago are quite proud of their effort to raise money to send deserving Black women to college. Tracy, their latest beneficiary, is about to walk to the stage at her graduation ceremony to obtain her diploma.
Such is the setting for the start of Ramona King’s “Steal Away,” which opened Friday Hopewell Theatre.
Now that Tracy is finished with college, it is time for the ladies to decide who will be their next lucky individual. The only problem is, the ladies are running low on money to fund these educational efforts. Pie sales have dropped off, as have their other fundraising methods.
The next most logical idea is to take out a loan at the bank. That sounds like a sure-fire remedy until the bank turns the ladies down because they don’t see why any “colored girls” need an education.
All is not lost, however, as Tracy has the answer to their problem – instead of borrowing the money, rob the bank!
“Steal Away” is a fine ensemble comedy piece for the six ladies involved. Each character brings something unique to the production, which makes it both humorous and heartwarming.
Tracy, played by Dezarye Inez Powell, is a strong-willed young woman who won’t give up on the preposterous idea of the heist. Powell is making her theatrical debut in the show, and she fares well among some heavy hitters in the cast with strong theater backgrounds. She holds her own.
That isn’t easy among the likes of Joy L. Smith, Lois E. Thornton, Monica Beasley-Martin and Carla D. Gipson.
Smith plays Stella, Tracy’s grandmother. Stella is a no-nonsense woman who loves Tracy but doesn’t hesitate to put her in her place when needed. Smith was very natural in the role with a smooth and natural line delivery. She gave perhaps the most genuine performance of the group.
That’s not to slight the rest. Ramona S. Austin, as Jade, also making her stage debut, puts a bit of a sarcastic twist on the role. Although against the whole idea of the bank robbery, Jade is a follower and reluctantly goes along with it. Austin covers the role well and doesn’t overplay her hand in the show.
Veteran actress Thornton, as Sudy, may be small in stature but she gives strong, commanding life to the role. Never one to be left in the shadows, Thornton plays the role out in every respect. Her portrayal of Sudy is a perfect example of total involvement, even when she isn’t the focus of attention. That is critical in an ensemble cast.
Beasley-Martin is a ball of fire as mouthy Blu. Blu never hesitates to not only share her opinion but also to jam them in the face of her fellow future bank robbers. Martin gives a strong performance, and her presence on stage just enhances the force behind the character. She makes Blu a commanding force even when she has nothing to say – which isn’t very often.
Gipson, the director, also plays Redd, who is perhaps the most level-headed and practical thinker among the women. Gipson gives a focused performance, with Redd being beacon of reason at the outset. But, alas, she too comes off the rails and joins the rebellion. In doing so, she becomes even more intense about their efforts than the others.
As mentioned earlier, this is a classic ensemble piece. No one character really stands out as a lead. They all form the cohesive unit that makes this show work.
Help also comes from a very well done and detailed set design by Martin Charles. A very realistic Depression-era set with a wind-up Victrola, a period two-decker oven, a percolator, coffee grinder and numerous heirloom pieces scattered about add a realism and homey look to the set.
The set failed, however, during the heist scene. The cramped quarters and playing the scene on the stage apron with a “vault” that you might find in someone’s apartment, made the bank look like it had only two customers. King might have been better off to add a scene that explains the action rather than presenting it.
“Steal Away” will continue at Hopewell Theatre, 702 Mahoning Ave., at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 and March 1; and 2 p.m. March 2. For tickets, click HERE.
Pictured at top: Lois Thornton, Dezarye Powell and Joy L. Smith in a scene from Hopewell Theatre’s production of “Steal Away.”