Trouble in Mind (play) explained

Trouble in Mind
Characters:
  • Wiletta Mayer
  • Al Manners
  • John Nevins
  • Millie Davis
  • Sheldon Forrester
  • Judith (Judy) Sears
  • Bill O’Wray
  • Eddie Fenton
  • Henry
Premiere:November 3, 1955
Place:Greenwich Mews Theatre

Trouble in Mind is a play by Alice Childress, which debuted Off-Broadway at the Greenwich Mews Theatre in 1955.[1] It premiered on Broadway at Roundabout Theatre Company's American Airlines Theatre on November 18, 2021.[2] The play focuses on racism and sexism in American theatre. It was published in the anthologies Black Theater: a 20th Century Collection of the Work of its Best Playwrights (Dodd, Mead & Co. 1971), the second edition of Black Drama in America: an Anthology (Howard University Press, 1994), Plays by American Women: 1930-1960 (Applause Books, 2001), and Alice Childress: Selected Plays (Northwestern University Press, 2011).[3] [4] [5] [6] It was first published on its own by Theatre Communications Group in 2022.[7]

Productions

Original 1955 Off-Broadway

The original Off-Broadway production was produced by Stella Holt, sponsored by the Village Presbyterian Church and the Brotherhood Synagogue. Childress co-directed, alongside Clarice Taylor, who also starred as Willetta. Hal England was featured in the supporting role of Eddie. The sets and lighting were designed by Vincent Sorrentino. The production opened on November 3, 1955, and ran for 91 performances.[8] In 1957, a Broadway transfer had been planned, renamed So Early Monday Morning.[9] The production was cancelled as Childress refused to subdue its content.[10]

1992 British premiere

The play made its British premiere at the Tricycle Theatre in London on October 8, 1992, directed by Nicolas Kent. Carmen Munroe starred as Wiletta with Maurice Roëves as Al. The production ended on November 14.[11]

2017 London

Following a run at Theatre Royal Bath's Ustinov Theatre, a new production opened in London at the Coronet Theatre from September 14 to October 14, 2017, directed by Laurence Boswell. It starred Tanya Moodie and Jonathan Slinger.[12] [13]

2021 Broadway premiere

Trouble in Mind finally made its Broadway debut on November 18, 2021, at the American Airlines Theatre. It was directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and featured sets designed by Arnulfo Maldonado, costumes designed by Emilio Sosa, lighting designed by Kathy A. Perkins, sound design by Dan Moses Schreier, original music by Nona Hendryx, and hair and wigs designed by Cookie Jordan. The production starred LaChanze as Wiletta, Michael Zegen as Al, Chuck Cooper as Sheldon, Danielle Campbell as Judy, Brandon Micheal Hall as John, Jessica Frances Dukes as Millie, Don Stephenson as Bill, Simon Jones as Henry, and Alex Mickiewicz as Eddie.[14] The limited run closed on January 9, 2022, after 58 performances and 20 previews. The production was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Play, Best Actress in a Play (LaChanze), Best Featured Actor in a Play (Chuck Cooper), and Best Costume Design in a Play (Emilio Sosa).

2021 London

Less than a month after the opening of the Broadway production, the National Theatre in London opened a production at its Dorfman Theatre on December 10, 2021. Moodie reprised her role from the 2017 production. This production was directed by Nancy Medina and starred (along with Moodie) Cyril Nri, Rory Keenan, Naana Agyei-Ampadu, John Hollingworth, Emma Canning, and Daniel Adeosun.[15] [16]

Other productions

Other productions of Trouble in Mind have included:

Awards and honors

2021 Broadway

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2022Tony Awards
Best Actress in a PlayLaChanze
Best Featured Actor in a PlayChuck Cooper
Best Costume Design in a PlayEmilio Sosa
Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Revival of a Play
Outstanding Featured Actor in a PlayChuck Cooper
Outer Critics Circle AwardOutstanding Revival of a Play
Outstanding Actress in a PlayLaChanze
Outstanding Featured Actor in a PlayChuck Cooper
Outstanding Costume DesignEmilio Sosa
Drama League AwardsOutstanding Revival of a Play
Distinguished Performance AwardLaChanze

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Trouble In Mind . 2022-03-03 . www.iobdb.com.
  2. Web site: Trouble in Mind (Broadway, American Airlines Theatre, 2021) . 2022-03-03 . Playbill . en.
  3. Book: Patterson, Lindsay . Black theater; a 20th century collection of the work of its best playwrights . 1971 . New York, Dodd, Mead . Internet Archive . 978-0-396-06254-7.
  4. Book: Barlow, Judith E. . Plays by American women, 1930-1960 . 2001 . New York : Applause . Internet Archive . 978-1-55783-446-1.
  5. Book: Black drama in America: an anthology . 1994 . Howard University Press . 978-0-88258-062-3 . Turner . Darwin T. . 2nd . Washington, D.C.
  6. Book: Childress . Alice . Selected plays . Perkins . Kathy A. . 2011 . Northwestern University Press . 978-0-8101-2751-7 . Evanston, Ill . 672300093.
  7. Book: Childress, Alice . Trouble in Mind . 2022 . Consortium Book Sales & Dist . 978-1-63670-015-1.
  8. Web site: 2021-01-22 . The Village Presbyterian Church Helps Gives Birth to an Off-Broadway Spanish Revolution . 2022-03-03 . Village Preservation . en-US.
  9. News: Zolotow . Sam . 1957-02-08 . 'Trouble in Mind' Will Be Reviewed; '56 Off-Broadway Comedy to Move Uptown--Renamed 'So Early Monday Morning' Talks on Alien Dispute Theatre Chosen for Musical . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-03-03 . 0362-4331.
  10. News: Phillips . Maya . 2021-11-03 . Alice Childress Finally Gets to Make 'Trouble' on Broadway . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-03-03 . 0362-4331.
  11. Web site: 1992-10-13 . Black and white in colour: Paul Taylor on the English . 2022-03-04 . The Independent . en.
  12. Web site: Gillinson . Miriam . Trouble In Mind review . 2022-03-03 . Time Out London . 22 September 2017 . en-GB.
  13. Web site: Trouble in Mind . 2022-03-03 . The Coronet Theatre . en.
  14. Web site: Playbill . 2022-03-03 . Playbill . en.
  15. Web site: Trouble in Mind (Closed January 29, 2022) . 2022-03-03 . www.whatsonstage.com . en-GB.
  16. Web site: 2021-09-16 . Trouble in Mind . 2022-03-03 . National Theatre.
  17. Web site: Alice Childress's Trouble in Mind in the Archives . 2022-03-04 . The New York Public Library.
  18. News: Fraser . C. Gerald . 1987-02-16 . Going Out Guide . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-03-04 . 0362-4331.
  19. News: Bruckner . D. J. R. . 1998-04-15 . A Rage Behind the Laughter . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-03-18 . 0362-4331.
  20. Web site: 'Trouble in Mind' at Yale . 2022-03-04 . Hartford Courant . 25 October 2007 . en.
  21. Web site: Hurwitt . Robert . 2010-08-28 . Theater review: 'Trouble in Mind' . 2022-03-04 . SFGATE . en-US.
  22. News: Marks . Peter . 2011-09-20 . Arena Stage's 'Trouble in Mind': Character-rich and well-acted play about race . en-US . Washington Post . 2022-03-04 . 0190-8286.
  23. Web site: 2013-07-25 . 'Trouble in Mind': A timely look at prejudice, principle . 2022-03-04 . The Seattle Times . en-US.
  24. Web site: Trouble in Mind . 2022-03-04 . Two River Theater . en-US.
  25. Web site: PlayMakers presents 'Trouble in Mind' starting Jan. 21 PlayMakers Repertory Company . 2022-03-04 . playmakersrep.org.
  26. Web site: Trouble in Mind (2019) by Yale Repertory Theatre - Issuu . 2022-03-04 . issuu.com . 29 January 2019 . en.
  27. News: Nestruck . J. Kelly . 2021-08-27 . Review: Trouble in Mind arrives in Canada disgracefully late in a perfectly pitched production at the Shaw Festival . en-CA . The Globe and Mail . 2022-03-04.
  28. News: November 14, 2022 . Sullivan . Katie . TimeLine's scorching 'Trouble in Mind' takes on backstage indignities with wry wit . 2023-02-27 . Chicago Sun-Times . en. (Review)
  29. News: November 14, 2022 . Sullivan . Katie . TimeLine's scorching 'Trouble in Mind' takes on backstage indignities with wry wit . 2023-02-27 . Chicago Sun-Times . en. (Review)
  30. News: March 2023 . John Hirsch Mainstage – Trouble in Mind . en-CA . Royal Manitoba Theatre . 2023-03-09.
  31. Web site: Trouble in Mind . 2023-05-25 . Hartford Stage . en-US.
  32. Web site:

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