The Chattanooga Theatre Centre takes on an amazing work
Faith can be a very powerful emotion; it can bring people to their knees, keep them hopeful in times of trouble, and motivate them to be better people. However, faith can also be tested in ways we didn’t know possible.
The Chattanooga Theatre Centre is telling a moving story about one woman’s trying test of faith during the holiday season with their production of James Baldwin’s “The Amen Corner”, opening Friday night at 8 p.m.
“The Amen Corner” was written by James Baldwin and published in 1954. The production tells the story of Sister Margaret Alexander in 1957 Harlem. A single mother, Alexander has been dedicated to her congregation for years, but suddenly her dying husband arrives at her door; soon, she’s in danger of losing both her congregation and her son, who she’s trying to keep on the right path.
The Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s production is directed by Ricardo Morris and features a cast of seventeen, in addition to a childrens’ ensemble. The cast started rehearsals on October 28, a week after auditions. Morris explained that one of the challenges he’s experienced in the Chattanooga theater community is finding African American actors, but over 30 people came to audition for “The Amen Corner”.
The role of Margaret Alexander will be portrayed by Marsha Mills, who is making her CTC debut. Carlos Davis, who was in last season’s “Fences”, will portray her husband, Luke. Morris explained that much of the cast has never acted on a professional level before so it’s been a great way to introduce them to the Theatre Centre.
“[This production] is really universal in terms of humans and life and in terms of trying, regardless of the color of the skin of the people doing it. There are characters that everyone can identify with, or know somebody, or have somebody in their family that may be that way. It’s a great opportunity, I think, to see just a little slice of church life for the black community,” explained Morris. “And even though it’s set in 1957, some of the ideas and things that they’re talking about, fortunately and unfortunately, are still relevant today. So that’s kind of a two-edged sword.”
An aspect of the show that’s especially important to Morris is allowing the cast to interact with the audience and include them in the production as much as possible, so he’s discovered a great way to make them feel like they’re part of the on-stage experience.
“The cast members will go out into the lobby area, just before the house opens, and they’ll come into the theater with the audience. They’ll interact with them one-on-one, in character, as if they’re all going into a church service. So there will be meet-and-greets, and talking to their friends, in costume and in character. On a special cue, everyone will start singing and move onto the stage. I wanted the audience to feel like they’re part of the congregation, too,” Morris said.
Because the show will be performed during the Christmas season and is also set during the holidays, Morris explained that they’ve replaced a few of the songs in the production with Christmas songs, such as “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World”.
Additionally, Morris said you can’t have an African American church without great music, so audiences will experience live music throughout the production. In order to make the show more intimate, “The Amen Corner” will be performed in the Circle Theatre.
The set for the production is very similar to what you’d imagine when thinking of 1957 Harlem, such as simplistic storefronts and churches. Morris explained that it’s actually been a bit of a challenge to incorporate a church and a storefront, with an apartment inside, onto a smaller stage. Additionally, Morris said he pays very close attention to intricate details in order to make the show as authentic as possible.
“As a director, I like to pay attention to the small details like the chairs or what kind of plants we have. So there’s a lot of that, and authenticity; working with 1957 women is a lot different than working with 2019 women. They’re all wearing dresses, and gloves, and hats, and coats, and crossing their legs at the ankles. There’s almost a retraining of social cues,” Morris explained. “That becomes part of the process for me, the history; what’s going on in the United States. There’s definitely some references to racism and poverty and things like that. And giving the cast that kind of background information, so they feel there’s a backstory for their character.”
The Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s production of “The Amen Corner” opens Friday at 8 p.m., and will be performed through December 22nd, with evening shows Thursday through Saturday and Sunday matinee shows.
If you’ve ever wanted a chance to experience the moving and inspiring work of James Baldwin on stage, then you definitely don’t want to miss the CTC’s production of “The Amen Corner”.