Stick Fly

Is playing at the Cort Theatre and is located at 138 West 48th Street. The play opens on December 8, 2011 and runs thru January 29, 2012. It runs two hours and fifteen minutes.

The show was developed in a recent co-production between the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston and Arena Stage in Washington D. C. The play had it's world premiere at Chicago's Congo Square Theatre Company in 2006 and was performed at theatre's including McCarthy Theatre in 2007 and the Matrix Theatre In Los Angeles in 2009.

The play has won several awards. 2011 the Independence Reviewers of New England Awards for Best Play and Director of a Drama (Kenny Leon), In 2010 the L A Drama Critics Circle Awards for Best Production, Best Director and Best Ensemble Performance. L A Garland Award for Play Writing. 2009 the L A Weekly Theatre Award for Play Writing and in 2006 Black Theatre Alliance Award for Best Play.

Stick Fly is directed by Kenny Leon. In 2004 he made his Broadway debut directing " A Raisin In the Sun" Kenny was nominated in 2010 for a Tony Award for Best Director for "Fences". Recently he directed "Mountaintop".

Lydia Diamond is making her Broadway debut as playwright.

Dule Hill is known for his roles in "West Wing" and "Psych". He was nominated for several awards for his role in West Wing such as an Emmy, Image Award and Screen Actor Guild Awards.

Ruben Santiago-Hudson won a Tony in 1996 for August Wilson in "Seven Guitars".

Mekhi Phifer is best known for his role as Dr. Gregory Pratt on "ER" from April 2002 to August 2008. His character was killed in the first episode of season 15.

Tracie Thomas was seen on TV in "Cold Case" from 2003-2010 as Detective Kat Miller.

The play takes place at the LeVay house on Martha Vineyard "Not Oak Bluff" in 2005.

The story is about an affluent African American family who come together for the summer.

Spoon (Kent) LeVay (Dule Hill) and his finance Taylor (Tracie Thoms) are the first to arrive. The think they are alone in the house but the maids daughter Cheryl (Condola Rashad) is already there. Cheryl mother is very ill so took her place.

The next to arrive is Kent's brother Flip (Harold) LeVay (Mehki Phifer). Flip says his girlfriend is coming but won't say shes white only that she is Italian.

The last to come is the father Dr. Joe LeVay (Ruben Santiago-Hudson). Joe tells his sons their mother will be coming soon.

There is tension between the father and Kent who is an aspiring writter. Dad thinks he could do better. While his son Flip is the golden boy . He is a plastic surgeon.

The girlfriend Kimber (Rosie Benton) arrives the next day and is greeted in Italian, which shes not.

The rest of the story is about their stay at the house. We find out near the end of the play that the mother isn't coming and why. But by then there are many secrets that come out, as things start to unravel for the family.

This is a well written and directed play. The only thing I didn't like is some times there were things happening in two different parts of the stage and you didn't know were to look. I didn't want to miss anything, it was so good.

There is a chemistry that sets fire between actors. Each gives an impressive performance. It's hard to say who did a better job, they all did. Hats off to Condola Rashad who is making her Broadway debut. I hope we see more of her on Broadway and soon.

It's nice to see an African American family portrayed like any normal family and not like the stereo type that we have seen on film lately.

The set was first-class. The whole bottom floor of the house was there. The living room, front door (when open you saw plants), stairs going to the next level, kitchen and even an outside beach. David Gallo did the set design. Mountaintop was his most recent set he designed. He won a Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for "The Drowsy Chaperon. David was also nominated for a Tony Award for "Radio Golf" and "Gem of the Ocean".

Alica Key is not only the one of the producers but did the original music for the show. She has won fourteen Grammy Awards. The score plays at the beginning of some of the scenes. The music had a good beat and its too bad it couldn't have played longer as it was very good.

This is one play you should not miss.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.