Booty Candy

By Keith Boykin, in theater
Thursday, March 6 2003, 6:00AM

Black gay playwright Robert O'Hara gives us 10 short pieces to digest in his deliciously probing new play, Booty Candy. Helped by a brilliant script and inspired acting performances, Booty Candy digs deeply into issues of race, sexuality, gender identity and class.

With a rotating cast from the talented multiracial Partial Comfort Theater Company, no two nights' performances are ever exactly the same. Because of the rotations and other elements of the production, boundaries of race, gender and age are often purposefully crossed by actors who contradict the physical appearance of the role. The actors I mention here may play different roles in future performances.

The first piece, "Booty Candy," explains the title of the production. Lloyd Porter plays a child taught by his mother (Richarda Abrams) not to use the word "dick" in the house. Instead, he's told to use the term "booty candy."

In the second piece, Tiffany O'Hara plays the sole character in "Mug," a one-sided dialogue of a young woman about to be mugged late at night at a bus stop.

"Scenework" began with Molly Pearson quoting "A Raisin In the Sun" to Joey Rich. Pearson, a thin young white woman, yearns to play the role of Lena Younger, the older black matriarch in Lorraine Hansberry's most famous play.

That performance was followed by one of the evening's strongest pieces, "Drinks and Desire" with Maurice McRae and Chad Beckim. McRae and Beckim play two men in a bar discussing their complicated relationship over drinks. Timing is everything as these two men practically finish each other's sentences in their witty repartee. To say more would spoil the surprises, but the two men negotiate their friendship time and time again.

"Genitalia" highlights the versatility of Richarda Abrams, who perfectly plays four different black women in phone conversation, discussing a young woman's questionable decision on what to name her baby.

My favorite piece, "Dreamin' in Church," features the beautiful and talented Hasani Issa as a traditional black minister delivering a sermon about rumors and sexuality in the church. Issa is superb with every handkerchief pat of his brow and sing song in his voice. While exploring controversial issues that may make some uncomfortable, playwright O'Hara mines gold with the deftness of his writing and his sense of humor, while Issa brings so much life to the role that it's hard to imagine anyone else could ever play this part.

"Dirt" is a back-and-forth polemic on the question of war, as David Bennett takes Maurice McRae hostage in a naive but well-intentioned attempt to stop a conflict. It's right on time as America debates the issue of war with Iraq.

The next piece, "Cluck," cleverly employs language and slang to highlight racial conflict in a heated court battle over reparations. Like its famous four-letter counterpart, "cluck" can be used as a noun, verb, adjective or exclamation. Without saying so directly, the piece raises the question, "If blacks received reparations, what would we do with them?" Lloyd Porter plays the stiff judge, Richarda Abrams the black plaintiff and Molly Pearson the white defendant, styled in pearls to contrast Abrams's sweatsuit.

Much of the production feels unique to New York, and "Movie" is perhaps the best example, as four different characters wait outside a movie theater at 34th Street and 8th Avenue waiting for their dates to show. One by one, the characters hold cell phone conversations to try to locate their partners.

The final piece, "Beauty in Queens," brings back Hasani Issa in completely different drag, along with Richarda Abrams and Maurice McRae as three generations in a black family that has learned the secret to get to Broadway. Here's a hint: it's all in the accent.

Taken as a whole, Booty Candy is an amazing production of skilled actors and excellent writing. People of all colors, backgrounds and experiences will enjoy this hip, funny urban drama.

Booty Candy runs Wednesdays through Fridays at 8 p.m. until March 14, 2003 at the Kraine Theater in the East Village, 85 E. 4th Street between 2nd and 3rd. The cost is $10. For reservations, call 212-696-6602.

© Copyright 2003 by Keith Boykin.