A theater analogy

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Constance Castillon
6 December 2019
Black Music 120
Theresa Ford
Extra Credit/ Stage Play Musical
Common Ground Theatre’s, magically woven: God’s Trombones
I have to say this Stage Play/ Musical was an experience that I will never forget by way
of how it made me feel. Walking in, the size of the theater was much different from any other
performances I’ve attended nothing in comparison to The Community Actor’s Theatre as far as
size. It reminded me of church on Sunday morning with everyone in their Sunday best and the
rain made us grumble and mumble till we found our seats. Funny how we can be, especially on a
Sunday afternoon. The theatre was inviting yet simple, and the lighting lured me in to find my
way to the front, second row sitting on the righthand side. Yolanda Marie Franklin glistened to
the podium on the stage and introduced the Common Ground Theatre as one of three longest
surviving African American groups in the United States and in the World. The red velvet
curtains parted and Felicia Daniel began to belt out a beautiful song “Git out of My Way” “I’m
going to church” and then it hit me, I am home. On the stage now was a choir fully robed in
righteousness singing and praising as those still stumbling in made their ways to their seats. All I
can tune into was the way Mrs. Pearson played that piano as the sound from the underground
shook the keys and the voices rang out in harmony. The other was the beat of the box drum I
found my foot starting to move and my hands wanting to clap and so I did. A participatory
approach and element of survival, to me we all chimed in a syncopated polyrhythm, traditionally,

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it was only right that I do participate even though I think I was the only syncopated addition to
the natural beat of the show, although they sounded so good the action of participating became
involuntary and there I was grateful to give praise for all that I’ve been through and all that I’ve
overcome. Something I found to be very magical about this particular performance and what I
believe to be the artistic intention, displaying the beauty of what has victoriously defeated
oppression and an African American expression of how to do so. Langston Grant dressed in
Sunday’s best started to pray and his prayer cried out “Listen Lord” which reminding me of
times when I cry out to the Lord experiencing pain and suffering as the prayer he shouted was all
too familiar. Then Felicia Daniel one of three of my favorites throughout the performance sang,
“The Whole World in His Hands” as Mrs. Pearson jazzed in with a sprinkle, just like the twinkle
in His eye her fingers played that feeling and she played it well, I guess that’s the only way I can
put it. I have grown up in church and different churches all my life and have heard that song so
many times before but with the smooth jazz undertones really displayed the traditional sound and
African American history of music and its unity to rise up, and if you will, “Praise tha Lord.” I’m
telling you if I was African American, I would be so proud of my culture and everything they
have overcome. Gratefully I get to experience different cultures throughout my life and with
open arms somehow I am always welcome. The performances were all meaningful but three
sermons that particularly stood out were: “The Creation” by Dorothy Smith I loved the way she
carried herself, I mean, her poise was Majestic. I liked her dress too, a beautiful white with a
gold cross across her bosom, it’s like carrying a cross daily being a woman, the dress I thought
spoke in thunder for all of us. She then shared a biblical interpretation of Genesis and the
beautiful creation God whirled up because he was “lonely”. I like the way they mentioned how
He must of felt being “lonely”. I can compare it to the emptiness of complete isolation and

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wonder, with no prayers crying out or no singing, no praise and worship, no mercy or grace and
worst of all no love. Similar feeling that I imagine to the sorrowed songs we’ve read and learned
about. Of course we are all designed in his image, and fearfully and wonderfully made, I enjoyed
hearing the way Gods Creation was definitely, “Good”. The other performance I found to be
exciting was Mrs. Nikki Gibbs in “Noah built the Ark” she came out with a story to tell and she
was funny with the improvisational “uh” she emphasized each and every thing she said adding a
cultural twist on just how “Noah should build the Ark” and “uh” how he was a good and
righteous man of God “uh” her generational gestures were hillarious as she emphasized how
every story before her was probably told and passed on and on through the traditional art of
storytelling. Something I have learned and studied being in this Music 120 class. I know I have
laughed at my kinfolk in the way of their art of storytelling and in no way was my laughter
intended as insulting but more as complete understanding. She was magically convincing “uh”.
Although I loved the whole show so so much, I have to say my other absolute favorite was Mrs.
Cassandra Crawford. She glistened in gold, down the stairs, as her voice thundered and shook as
the voice of God she rolled into a biblical interpretation of when Moses was in Egypt and asking
the Pharoah to let him lead the people out of captivity. As her barritone voice bellowed “Let my
People Go.” The Pharoah kept refusing until God through signs and miracles was unforgetabley
proven to be the All Mighty God and He made a way. Which my God always makes a way. The
way she moved with the sound of her voice she actually made me cry as I too know the feeling
of oppression and slavery from my own poor choices and decisions and how God made a way,
but I just couldn’t imagine what black slavery and true torture could have been like and it made
me cry but the happy part is, He made a way. Her voice grazed humility as she got down to the
core of my very being and gracefully pulled out my tears and I was in complete and utter awe of

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gratitude. I wanted to leap out of my seat as her performance shook my soul. The show overall
was a standing ovation, beautifully interpreted and performed in the light of His Glory. I am so
happy I was able to truly experience how it related to our class and I got to tie it in to everything
you’ve taught me thus far.