Yvette Spears is one of those performers who sings with her whole body and soul. Medleys start deep in her throat and nearly consume her as she belts out the blues, whether she’s scolding her way through “That Ain’t Right” or tackling Dinah Washington’s desperately plaintive “This Bitter Earth.”
The blues take center stage during Anacostia Playhouse’s relentlessly engaging revue, A Nite at the Dew Drop Inn. For one all-too-brief night (the show flies by in about 75 minutes), six talented performers assemble, under the direction of Stephawn Stephens, to bring back to life a swanky historical New Orleans nightclub, known locally as “The Drop,” which welcomed all, catered particularly to African-American audiences during segregated times and, in its heyday, hosted everyone from Otis Redding to Ray Charles (Little Richard even wrote a song about the place).
Anacostia Playhouse’s production has a special intimacy, with cabaret tables surrounding the stage, performers interacting with receptive audience members, and even a kitty set up for tips should someone in the crowd be moved by a particular song.
A Nite at the Dew Drop Inn closes September 21, 2019. Details and tickets
There’s no weak link in this cast of powerhouse performers (though Rodni Williams proves a little underused). The charismatic Marcel Miller gets his chance to charm and shine in such songs as the spoken-word ditty “Chicken Shack Boogie.” The club gets a little edge to it as all three men take center stage in delightful fashion during a trio of the show’s more double entendre-heavy songs, like the teasingly choreographed “Hoochie Coochi” and the seductive “60 Minute Man.” The Dew Drop Inn’s formidable ladies bring passion and pathos to numbers like “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean” (the pristine belter Sherica Payne).
Our hostess Gayzelle (Jacquelyn Hawkins) has a rendition of Etta James’ “At Last” up her sleeve that brings down the house. It’s a treat to see the three of them team up during the coy “Your Husband Is Cheatin’ on Us.”
There’s no real story to A Nite at the Dew Drop Inn — the audience is there to soak up the atmosphere, to sit back and enjoy the music. Perhaps the revue’s most stirring moment comes near the show’s close, as the cast comes together in complex harmony to sing the spiritual-inspired “That Lucky Ol’ Sun.” It’s a powerful time-out of sorts during a rollicking evening of just singing the blues.
A Nite at the Dew Drop Inn. Director: Stephawn Stephens. Music Director: William Knowles. With Jacquelyn Hawkins, Marcel Miller, Sherice Payme, Robert Person, Yvette Spears, and Rodni Williams. Assistant Director: Desire DuBose. Lighting Design: Rachel Welsh. Set Design: Megan Holden. Costume Design: Alison Johnson. Choreography: Rodni Williams. Production Manager: Rachel Walsh. Technical Director: Reuben Rosenthal. Stage Manager: Monica Cook. Review by Missy Frederick.
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