I was tickled to see another performance by Jacksonville’s local Five and Dime Theater Company, and as expected, they did not disappoint.
First, the play: Clybourne Park is a powerful commentary on the changing face of urban neighborhoods—-tracing the “white flight” to suburbs and the subsequent gentrification of those original locales. The play, set in Chicago, is a spin-off of, as a before and after look at events surrounding, the play (and later film), A Raisin in the Sun. I have not seen that latter work, and you needn’t in order to appreciate Clybourne Park.
And that’s how I describe Clybourne Park: I appreciated it. I enjoyed the acting, yes (more about that), but as a dramatic (and sometimes comedic) work, I appreciate the play. It goes deep into racial issues on both sides and at varying points in the country’s timeline. It tackles some of those complex issues that surround the business of gentrification while letting the underlying emotional spill-over peak through. Individual situations surrounding the families moving, staying, and supporting the home in question make it all the more personal and remind the audience that not everything is as simple as populations and cultures and races living here and there. More exists behind those decisions. More is impacted as others move in and out. More is felt. By all.
As a performance, again, the Five and Dime Theater Company did well. This group cares about the arts and live theater; their passion and dedication to presenting quality performances show. Sure, they are unconventional in that they have no permanent home stage. And that makes things less than ideal for watching (chairs set up in the large room off to the side at the Cummer Museum for this production). But that too makes this a bit more special—-taking theater into the community to different venues. Maybe that’s gimmicky to some; to me, I like it.
If you get a chance to see Clybourne Park produced near you, take it and go see this play. Think about our urban and suburban landscapes and housing and families and all that comes up as cities move and flow and shift. The make-up of neighborhoods does not happen in a vacuum, and consequences exist. I certainly don’t have answers, but I appreciate any work that helps us all ask and acknowledge the arising questions.
And for you local folks, again, I highly recommend you check out Five and Dime Theater Company. They do good work.