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Austin Scott and Amber Iman in Goddess.
Credit: Joan Marcus |
There are several thrilling elements in Goddess, the new musical at the Public Theater, and in Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole, the new play with music at the New York Theater Workshop. But both shows fail to coalesce into a satisfying whole. Goddess features the exciting voice of Amber Iman, a vibrant score by Michael Thurber, and dazzling choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie, but the book by Saheem Ali (who also directs) and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames (credited with “additional book material”) is cliched and underdeveloped. The plot revolves around the divine singer Nadira (a stunning Iman) who is in reality Marimba, goddess of music. Like the Rita Hayworth character in the Hollywood movie musical, Down to Earth, Marimba has descended from the heavens and experiences internal conflict when she falls in love with a mortal (a virile Austin Scott as Omari, the son of politician in modern-day Mombasa, the capital of Kenya).
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Austin Scott and Amber Iman in Goddess.
Credit: Joan Marcus |
In order to fulfill her destiny as mankind’s muse, Marimba must defy her mother, the evil goddess of war (represented by a giant puppet beautifully designed by Julian Crouch). Similarly, Omari, who longs to expression himself as sax player, is forced to confront his conservative parents and veer from their plans for him to continue the family’s political dynasty. The authors fail to deliver on either of these fronts, denying us the battle for either character which will resolve their conflicts. Instead, their romance is cut short when Marimba returns skyward and all struggles are quickly wrapped up in a tidy finale.
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Nick Rashad Burroughs and cast in Goddess.
Credit: Joan Marcus |
The ending and the tired plot are something of a let down, but there are plenty of musical pluses along the way. Iman is a divine vision with a soaring voice to match. Austin Scott makes an attractive equal as her leading man, skillfully depicting Omari’s inner conflict and he plays a mean sax. Nick Rashad Burroughs and Arica Jackson provide generous comic relief as saucy emcee and barmaid at Moto Moto, the nightclub where Nadira plies her trade. Destinee Rae as Omari’s ambitious fiancee, J Paul Nicholas as his oppressive father, and Ayana George Jackson as his loving mother do their best to bring life to their stereotyped roles. Reggie D. White is an intriguing, mystifying presence as a sagacious seer. Melissa Clark, Teshomech Olenja, and Awa Secka comprise the vibrantly sexy GrioTrio, an African Greek Chorus narrating the tale.
