“A two-hander that tells a compelling story about the struggle of African Americans living in the segregated Midwest in the late '60's...King as Vivian and Jordan as Luigi master their respective roles...The two actors' performances couldn't be better...’Vivian's Music 1969’ is depicts moments that are heartrending, insightful and at times, very humorous. Monica Bauer's superbly written play paints a vivid picture that is absolutely enthralling.”
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“The play's last five minutes, when Bauer tries to bring it all together, aren't as believable as everything that has come before. But both Vivian and Luigi cast a spell....The handling of the actors -- new faces both, and well worth seeking out in the future -- by the director, Kadigan, is exemplary...As it hurtles toward its tragic climax, ‘Vivian's Music’ is a saddening reminder that the more people assert that a change is gonna come, the more things sometimes stay the same - dispiritingly so.”
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“The monologues and the impressions start out somewhat driftlessly, but Bauer’s writing, and the two central performances, quickly tighten and strengthen...Bauer sometimes also misses out on seizing the opportunities for richer nuance in making these figures’ monologuing voices sharper...Still, even if the edges are a little ragged, the center of ‘Vivian’s Music, 1969' quivers with well-earned and devastatingly all-too-familiar heartbreak."
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"The monologues wander pleasantly, seeming aimless at first, but soon the pieces for the devastating conclusion are all aligned. Although some of the writing is too broad, flirting with clichés, and some of the themes are clumsily telegraphed or treated without enough complexity, both actors overcome this...with nuance and conviction...The production achieves lyrical beauty and emotional power, addressing a historical incident that remains all too relevant today.”
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"Playwright Monica Bauer has created an intriguing and compelling production, beginning with two seemingly unlinked stories (alternating the storyteller) and as time goes on you can feel the plots begin to converge...Glory Kadigan’s direction is slick and keeps up a good pace...A timely play about a period in modern history that may be unfamiliar to many, with dangerously pertinent themes – the performances are engaging and moving."
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"Monica Bauer's script is astonishing: whether relating the tragic death that motivates the almost optimistic finale – resilience and hope maintain a shaky hold on the jazz drummer-turned-social entrepreneur – or describing the magic of a band jamming together, it doesn't need anything more than the fluid performances of Russell Jordan and Kailah S King to impress."
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