"Ain't No Mo'" - by Jordan E. Cooper - SpeakEasy Stage and Front Porch Arts (Boston, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: Kiera Prusmack as “Passenger 3,” De’Lon Grant as “Passenger 2,” Schanaya Barrrows as “Passenger 4” and Dru Sky Berrian as “Passenger 1” in a scene from Jordan E. Cooper's "AIN'T NO MO'" at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until February 8, 2025. Photo credit Nile Scott Studios)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“I don’t deserve to be labeled as a monster just because I was born like some of the monsters who terrorize you.”
- (“Rachonda”) / Jordan E. Cooper
SpeakEasy Stage Company
In Collaboration with
Front Porch Arts Collective
Presents Jordan E. Cooper's
"AIN'T NO MO'"
2023 Tony Nominee – Best Play!
New England Premiere!
Written by Jordan E. Cooper
Directed by Dawn M. Simmons
Choreography by Juanita Pearl
A Co-Production with Front Porch Arts Collective
Cast Includes: Schanaya Barrrows as “Passenger 4,” Dru Sky Berrian as “Passenger 1,” MaConnia Chesser* as “Passenger 5,” Grant Evan* as “Peaches,” De’Lon Grant* as “Passenger 2,” Kiera Prusmack as “Passenger 3.”
Additional Creative Team:
Fight and Intimacy Choreographer – Brandon G. Green; Scenic Design – Mac Young; Costume Design – Rachel Padula-Shufelt; Lighting Design – Aja M. Jackson**; Sound Design – Aubrey Dube; Props Design – Isaac West; Calling Stage Manager – Pat-rice Rooney*; Rehearsal Stage Manager – Carmen Catherine Alfaro*; Assistant Stage Manager – Em K. Ross.
Performances:
January 10, 2025 through February 8, 2025
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
Roberts Studio Theatre, Calderwood / BCA, 527 Tremont Street, Boston, MA. 02116
TICKETS:
Contact the Box Office # 617-933-8600 or visit www.speakeasystage.com
BUY TICKETS
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)
SpeakEasy Stage Company, in association with Front Porch Arts Collective, offers up the fabulous "AIN'T NO MO'," a biting satire with a phenomenally versatile ensemble cast that not only has teeth...it has fangs.
Written by Tony-nominated playwright Jordan E. Cooper, the one-act play is comprised of a series of sketch comedy-style vignettes.
For those who enjoy plays featuring vignettes tied together by an irreverent, absurdist theme (citing John Cariani's "Almost, Maine" as a perfect example) Cooper's "AIN'T NO MO'" follows this same idea all the while keeping one foot firmly planted in reality...a very grim reality.
The premise of "AIN'T NO MO'" follows an America spanning from the “Obama Era” to the “Trump Era” (past AND unfortunately present) providing an alternative universe whereby the present United States government offers up a program to purchase every willing Black American citizen a one-way ticket “back” to Africa.
This prevailing theme connects the various sketches, portraying how this reprehensible “program” impacts the varied characters - from all walks of life - and how it impacts those around them.
"AIN'T NO MO'" debuted Off-Broadway in 2019 before moving to Broadway in 2022, where it ran for a total of 28 performances.
The Broadway production received 6 Tony Award nominations (including one for “Best Play” which ultimately went to fellow contender “Leopoldstadt”).
Cooper was also nominated for a 2023 Drama League “Distinguished Performance” Award (which ultimately went to actress Annaleigh Ashford for “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”).
"AIN'T NO MO'" established Cooper as the youngest Black American to make his Broadway playwriting debut, at age 27, and the youngest Black American playwright nominated for a Tony Award.
As "AIN'T NO MO'" at SpeakEasy Stage Company begins, it opens with a lot of laughs at...of course...a funeral.
It is Election Day 2008 and, with a coffin on stage and mourners present, Pastor Freeman (De’Lon Grant) performs a memorial service for "Brother Righttocomplain," offering the idea to his “congregation” (i.e. the audience) that, with the election of new President Barack Obama, the African-American community will no longer face the adversities under which it has long suffered.
However, the congregation's joyous celebration is short-lived.
Even before the first (but unfortunately not last) “Trump Era” begins, the show soon recalls events such as the Flint water crisis, the attacks, false imprisonments and murders of unarmed Black Americans at the hands of police, and more.
At an airport, a Black drag queen flight agent, Peaches (Grant Evan), prepares for boarding all the departing Black passengers arriving at the boarding gate at the airport.
(Photo: De’Lon Grant in a scene from Jordan E. Cooper's "AIN'T NO MO" at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until February 8, 2025. Photo credit Nile Scott Studios)
In between the vignettes, the focus shifts back and forth to Peaches, allowing some downtime as the actors prepare for the subsequent sketches.
At the gate, Peaches checks in various passengers and, with wit and frankness, offers advice to those boarding who still might be hesitant to leave the U.S. Situated on a pedestal rear center stage is a suitcase referred to by Peaches simply as “Miss Bag.”
According to Peaches, “Miss Bag” holds all the Black American Experience and tells passengers to “drop their own stories into the bag” so they might also bring it with them to Africa.
This plants the seed for a riveting exchange happening near the end of the show showcasing a compelling Evan in a totally mesmerizing performance as Peaches.
As impeccably staged by Director Dawn M. Simmons, the set for "AIN'T NO MO'" is of an undisclosed airport terminal for “African American Airlines” but all of the sketches take place inside the terminal, which is a technical marvel and is utilized quite cleverly throughout the one hour, 40 minute show.
Also, costume and wig changes between the vignettes is done at breakneck speed for which this amazingly talented cast (and any backstage help) deserves high praise, indeed.
(Photo: De’Lon Grant as “Passenger 2,” Dru Sky Berrian as “Passenger 1” and Kiera Prusmack as “Passenger 3” in a scene from Jordan E. Cooper's "AIN'T NO MO" at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until February 8, 2025. Photo credit Nile Scott Studios)
Following both the funeral and the airport, during the first actual vignette we meet a Black couple Damien (De’Lon Grant) and Trisha (Dru Sky Berrian) at an abortion clinic.
On an overhead display, Trisha waits for her number to be called (“Now Serving Number….”) as Damien attempts to talk her out of having the abortion.
After a stunning revelation, played expertly by both actors, we learn that Damien is actually a casualty of police brutality, and Trisha sees the abortion as the only way to safeguard her baby from a potentially similar fate.
During this same segment, a newswoman (MaConnia Chesser) is interviewing Black militant Zamata (Kiera Prusmack) one of the many women standing in line for an abortion for similar reasons as Trish as news of the African re-location “offer” begins to spread.
(Photo: Grant Evan as “Peaches” in a scene from Jordan E. Cooper's "AIN'T NO MO" at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until February 8, 2025. Photo credit Nile Scott Studios)
The show shifts to the taping of “The Real Baby Mamas of the South-Side,” a so-called “reality show” focused on stereotypical Black women with De’Lon Grant serving as the show’s moderator, “Tony Logan.”
The taping stops mid-way, exposing tensions among the cast who each take aim at "Rachonda" (aka “Rachel” as played by Kiera Prusmack), a self-proclaimed "transracial" Black woman who seeks to perpetuate a negative stereotype amid the objections of her offended castmates Tracy (Schanaya Barrows), Kendra (Dru Sky Berrian) and Karen (MaConnia Chesser).
During this particular segment, there are a number of richly produced fiery exchanges and monologues, especially by Prusmack as “Rachonda.”
In the next vignette, set in a multi-million dollar mansion (but still located inside the airport terminal), a wealthy Black family ignores the notice about the last flight, intent on remaining in the United States.
The family is attacked by an unearthed, long-buried powerhouse entity simply known as “Black” (MaConnia Chesser) who forces the family to face their repressed "Blackness."
Chesser is an energetic, unstoppable force throughout this particular vignette (more impressive knowing the performer must then take on the final vignette as an almost completely inverse personality).
(Photo: Kiera Prusmack as “Passenger 3,” De’Lon Grant as “Passenger 2,” Schanaya Barrrows as “Passenger 4” and Dru Sky Berrian as “Passenger 1” in a scene from Jordan E. Cooper's "AIN'T NO MO" at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, MA. until February 8, 2025. Photo credit Nile Scott Studios)
The final vignette (before returning to a sensational closing by Peaches) concerns inmates at a women's prison.
Along with Officer Brown (Schanaya Barrows), Judah (Kiera Prusmack), Lakeisha (Dru Sky Berrian) and Blue (MaConnia Chesser), all four women prepare to be released so that they may board the planes headed to Africa.
The inmates convey a sense of mixed emotions at being released from prison in agreement to be sent to a country where, while in expectation of living free, they know little or nothing about.
Cooper’s "AIN'T NO MO'" explores the question of how, if choosing to leave behind America, this also means choosing to abandon ALL African-American culture and history - and the collective performances by this amazing ensemble cast cements the premise.
Coopers’ script satirically examines the above question with honesty, humor and humanity.
One cannot laugh at the truth without also recognizing that this same truth comes from a much darker place from where no humor and little humanity resides…leaving one quite alone to ponder...“just where do we go from here?”
"AIN'T NO MO" at SpeakEasy continues in Boston until February 8th and it is highly recommended you catch it before it takes flight.
Coming up next at SpeakEasy Stage Company will be "A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE" by Terrence McNally which begins February 21st, 2025.
For tickets and more information, contact the Box Office at # 617-933-8600 or visit www.speakeasystage.com.
BUY TICKETS
Approximately one hour, 40 minutes with no intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
“Explosive as a hand grenade of laughing gas, AIN’T NO MO’ is heady and hysterical and fiercely provocative!” - Variety“
The powers that be have reassured me there’s room for everyone” declares Miss Peaches, the drag queen flight attendant tasked with welcoming the entire Black population of the United States to Gate 1619 for a free one-way flight back to Africa.
So begins an early scene in Jordan E. Cooper’s blisteringly funny satire, a series of sharp comic vignettes about Black American life, history, and identity.
SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY is proud to team up with the Front Porch Arts Collective to bring new life to this acclaimed show, one of the first productions since its groundbreaking Broadway run.
ABOUT SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY
SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY is a non-profit theatre company located in the South End of Boston and is led by award-winning Producing Artistic Director Paul Daigneault. SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY was named the Pavilion Resident Theater for the Boston Center for the Arts in 2007 and produces 28 weeks of new plays and musicals each season at the Nancy and Ed Roberts Studio Theater in the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts.
