SPUNK

by DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM
The third production of Jacksonville’s newest theatre company, The 5 & Dime Theatre Company, was presented in a four day run, March 22-25 at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. Spunk: Three tales by Zora Neale Hurston was a big hit with the large audiences for all of the performances. It will be repeated twice on March 31 at the Village Improvement Association in Green Cove Springs, Florida. For ticket information visit The5andDime.org.
We would guess that for many in the audience, this was an introduction to the genius of the late Zora Neale Hurston who is considered one of the most important African-American women of the Twentieth Century. She was an author, an anthropologist and a folklorist.
In “Spunk” we experienced the folklorist and writing side of the multi-talented Hurston. George C. Wolf has adapted three of her short stories, while jazz musician Chic Street Man composed and added bluesy music that has a lot of humor to make this a truly interesting and entertaining experience.
5 & Dime’s production under the direction of Lee Hamby captures the spirit of the language of Harlem back in the 1920s. To aid the audience, a sample of Harlem Slang was included in the program.
Five of the six characters play multiple roles in the stories. CJ Fluharty playing a mean blues guitar provides all the music and even he interacts with the strutting ladies. All the performers are in each tale, using changes in clothing and voice to transform their characters.
The first story, “Sweat,” concerns Delia (Chelsea Love Hunt) who takes in the laundry of white families to support herself and her worthless, promiscuous husband. Anthony Mincey, Jr. as the husband wants to get rid of her and take up with another “fatter” woman. He brings home a box with a rattlesnake inside, knowing she is terrified of these slithery reptiles. Ms. Hunt shows some pain, some spirit, some spunk and good judgment as she escapes from the marriage.
“Story in Harlem Slang” features two dapper men dressed in colorful zoot suits, looking for ladies on the street with money to share and dueling with words as they strut their stuff trying to impress each other and the women passing by. David Girard as Sweet Back and Mr. Mincey as Jelly are hilarious. Frank L Humphrey, III as Slang Talk Man acts as a sort of referee and narrator, while Tarra Conner Jones who is Blues Speak Woman throughout all three stories, belts out songs with her glorious voice that enhances the story and really raises the roof of the Good Shepherd Church.
“The Gilded Silk Bits,” the final tale, is the most emotional and heartwarming. A demure and loving housewife is unfaithful to her quiet hardworking and adoring husband after she is seduced by a fast-talking con man flashing gold coins that turn out to be gilded.
To single out each individual excellence would be to merely restate the cast list. Everyone can sing and dance with great skill and all have great comic timing.
Multi-talented Alex Rodriguez, a Jacksonville University student, was the musical director and choreographer. Mr. Rodriguez teaches dance and voice and is an excellent performer himself. In April, he will be in the upcoming JU production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers.
Lee Hamby cast and directed the show, and did both to perfection. Hamby also designed the set, which included the exterior walls of frame houses, multi-purposed wooden platforms, and furnishings such as ladders, barrels, washtubs and burlap sacks. The amazing Hamby also designed the costumes. Most were simple calico dresses and work clothes, but the zoot suits were quite colorful, as was the sophisticated burgundy gown worn by Blues Speak Woman.
The 5 & Dime has produced three excellent shows, two at different locations in the Riverside area and one at the Public Library. The group announced in the program the addition of five new board members bringing their total to fourteen. This is an active board and at each show we see all of them in action, handling various duties to make each production the very best that it can be. 5 & Dime has been a wonderful addition to a very thriving theatre world in Jacksonville.
Hats off again to the marvelous cast of Spunk. The audiences have shown their appreciation with standing applause. Our thanks go to CJ Fluharty, Tarra Conner Jones, Chelsea Love Hunt, Anthony Mincey, Jr., David Girard, and Frank L. Humphrey, III.
Remember the final two performances will be in Green Cove Springs on March 31. You don’t want to miss this incredible show.