Pencopal's PLAF Diary for Wednesday, September 5

Performance: Litttle Girl Blue (Pheralyn Dove a.k.a. "Lady Dove") (No future performances)

The last time I'd been at the Ethical Society it was to hear an ex-Buddhist monk discuss the Dharma for the modern age. Wednesday I went to see a one woman show about an African American woman's personal and spiritual journey. Gone was the Buddha statue adorned with lit candles. In its place were the props that would help the Little Girl Blue come to life.

Little Girl Blue
Lady Dove's Little Girl Blue marries poetry, theatre, and music. Such polygamy creates a pathos that pulls the audience in from the start. Accompanied by Bassist Warren Oree, Lady Dove supplied spoken word to a soulful bass line.

Little Girl Blue is the story of growth and the pain that comes with it. Switching between seventeen characters, Dove tells the story of Professional Woman's journey from a tragic youth to an empowered, successful woman.

At times I found the play hard to watch, so searing was Dove's performance. She was at her best during those moments when her characters were at their worst. Her portrayal of a child recounting a sexual abusive experience was heartbreaking. Luckily, the action of the play was such that immediately following a harrowing vignette, humor made an appearance. Between moments of physical abuse and loneliness were stories related to the joy of raising children, the benefits of activism, and the joy of love and marriage.

Bassist Warren Oree added another dimension to the play with his amazing fingerwork on the bass. The soundtrack he provided heightened or leveled out the energy of each scene. He and Dove worked well together.

It was difficult for me to fully embrace parts of the play that seemed especially negative toward African American men. Ultimately though, Dove redeemed herself in my eyes by introducing a positive male character who ultimately helps the narrator come into her own as a woman, mother, and wife.

This was a one-night only performance, but with any luck, Dove will bring her message of empowerment and triumph to audiences once again.