Fine Arts: Theater: Crowns

A joyous celebration of Southern women, presented as a series of intimate musical portraits at the Pasadena Playhouse, Regina Taylor’s “Crowns” is a lively evening of overlapping monologues, soulful song, and even some dancing. Winner of four Helen Hayes awards, including Best Regional Musical, “Crowns” is actually based on an acclaimed coffee-table book. Taylor’s musical explores the lives of the “hat queens,” six women in the South whose stories of love, loss, identity, and sisterhood are exemplified by the hats that adorn their heads and the songs that voice their experiences.

Israel Hicks directs his cast of seven actresses to mill about and interact on a bare set, simply decorated by vertical displays of ornate hats, as they each take turns in relating their stories, recalling fond memories from their youth. From ostentatious to simple, hats of all types were considered a status symbol among these Southern women, and we learn that “hattitude” is something you need to possess in order to wear a hat well.

“Crowns” stars Sharon Catherine Blanks as Velma, Vanessa Bell Calloway as Jeanette, Suzzanne Douglas as Wanda, Paula Kelly as Mother Shaw, and Ann Weldon as Mabel. Angela Wildflower Polk plays Yolanda, a street-wise toughie from Brooklyn who is having trouble fitting in with her genteel Southern relatives. Clinton Derricks-Carroll multi-tasks as the lone male, known as “Man,” playing everything from the show-stopping Gospel-singing Preacher to husband or boyfriend.

Suzzanne Douglas plays Wanda in the song-filled show "Crowns."

Just off-stage (actually in the upper corner of the auditorium) a super-cool jazz trio of percussion (Derf Reklaw), piano (Eric Scott Reed), and upright bass (Trevor Ware) provide the laid-back musical accompaniment. This hip threesome blends jazz with African rhythms, spirituals, and even honky-tonk, and keeps things soulful with their flawless performance.

When each of the performers bursts into song, frequently drawing on the glorious and exultant themes of gospel, their voices are forceful and moving. In fact, many in the audience clapped and even sang along on opening night.

Paula Kelly stars in "Crowns" at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Offering an insight into several generations of southern gentility and the female experience, this revival is currently being staged at the Pasadena Playhouse (www.pasadenaplayhouse.org), in co-production with Ebony Repertory Theatre www.ebonyrep.org), until August 16, 2009.

Runs until August 16, 2009
Tuesdays through Fridays at 8:00 pm
Saturday at 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm
Sunday at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

Tickets range from $32 to $67.

The Pasadena Playhouse
39 South El Molino Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-356-7529

[Pauline Adamek is a Hollywood-based film, theatre and food critic who files for “FilmInk Australia,” the “LA Daily News,” “Sun Community Newspapers” as well as various websites under the “nom du net” Max Million.]