We Were There: Letters from Zora, In Her Own Words

“Through the exploration, analysis, and dramatization of approximately twenty five letters written by Ms. Hurston and selected excerpts from her impressive body of work, Letters from Zora: In Her Own Words showcases a life that was both filled with artistic and literary triumphs and stagnated by abject poverty and self- doubt.”

I was on the scene at The Pasadena Playhouse yesterday for the closing performance of Gabrielle Pina’s one-woman show, starring veteran actress Vanessa Bell-Calloway, and when I say she was spellbinding and magnetic, I MEAN IT!

The show is 90 minutes with no intermission, and not once did a moment in the show lag. From the moment Vanessa took to the stage she had us lasso’d and hooked! There was no turning back. For  an hour and a half she embodied Zora Neale Hurston (the American folklorist, anthropologist, and author during the time of the Harlem Renaissance), and it wasn’t until the final curtain (at least, for me) that I was able to catch my breath and float back down to my seat.

This show is full of what Oprah calls, ‘A-ha!’ moments. From Zora’s embracing of her FULL self in all of her flawed glory to her insecurity-ridden truth-telling, I walked away intoxicated by the brilliance of Hurston’s pen. From jokes about being middle-aged and dating 21 year old men to quips about “failed” marriages left and right, Zora is my kinda gal: unafraid, unapologetic, and raw.

“I am so delighted to have the touching and humorous words of Zora Neale Hurston on our Playhouse stage. Her impact on the literary world during the thrilling period of the Harlem Renaissance provided such rich insight into our heritage. Her influence and that impact are still with us today,” said Sheldon Epps, the Artistic Director of The Pasadena Playhouse, and I couldn’t agree more.

“As an actor you dream of a role that you can embody, a character in whom you can become completely engrossed, a role that you wake up each morning excited to portray with dialogue that flows like pure poetry. For me, Letters from Zora is that perfect piece,” stated Vanessa Bell-Calloway. These words ring true! Vanessa’s passion, dedication, and skill permeated that stage.

My one qualm about the show might just be the set design. From my vantage point, it seemed like the set pieces weren’t enough to fill the allotted space of the theater. The vast stage, before Vanessa took to it that is, seemed to swallow the set whole. This might be remedied if (and I understand that this isn’t always possible) an actual three-walled set was built to box in Zora’s locale, and to give the audience more of a focal point. These feelings of mine lingered after the show, though I must note: when Vanessa hit that stage her energy and radiance filled most of the excess space.

 This show most certainly needs to make its way to New York City! An Off-Broadway run would be perfect, and I think the New York arts scene would eat it up. I hope that’s in the future for this production.

Gabrielle Pina is a playwright to watch out for, and Anita Dashiell-Sparks’ direction was the icing on the cake. Vanessa, Gabrielle, and Anita make up a trifecta of brilliance!

I’m honored to have witnessed this beautiful show. Such an inspiring and uplifting piece. 

An excerpt from the show:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8QarhsxLyg?feature=player_embedded]