Discovery Guide to e v a h t ’ n y, t “I do i n a m u h h c r a e s e r be o t e v a h h I just g u o n e s ou e g a r u o c hat t e r a h s to elf s y m f o part .” y d o b y r e with ev o-Hudson Santiag —Ruben
Written by Joshua Oduga | Photos courtesy of Ruben Santiago-Hudson.
Special Thanks
The Student Matinee Program also receives generous support from the Rosenthal Family Foundation, Diana Buckhantz & Vladimir & Araxia Buckhantz Foundation, Renee & Meyer Luskin, Deena & Edward Nahmias, Laura & James Rosenwald & Orinoco Foundation, the Artists & Educators Forum, and Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation.
CENTERTHEATREGROUP.ORG | 213.972.8030 | @CTGLA
A MAGICAL, MUSICAL REMINISCENCE.
LACKAWANNA BLUES is actor, playwright, and director Ruben SantiagoHudson’s ode to his 1950s childhood home: Lackawanna, New York. Santiago-Hudson’s autobiographical play focuses on the woman who raised him, Rachel “Nanny” Crosby, and the eccentric community of lost souls and abandoned lovers she nurtured. Inspired by African griot storytelling traditions and the 1950s and ’60s blues he grew up on, Santiago-Hudson embodies over 20 characters, accompanied by the music of composer Bill Sims Jr. Lackawanna Blues pays homage to a woman and place that gave refuge to those who needed to be accepted for who they were and to the power of family, community, and stories.
Written, Performed, and Directed by
RUBEN SANTIAGO-HUDSON Music Performed by
CHRIS THOMAS KING Original Music Composed by
BILL SIMS JR.
Additional Music Composed by
CHRIS THOMAS KING
Ruben Santiago-Hudson crafted Lackawanna Blues as a means of empowering the women in his life through telling their stories and highlighting the roles they play as pillars of families and communities. Who are the people in your life that bring your family and community together, and how do they accomplish this?
Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Photo by Benedict Evans.
THE NARRATO R/
Y NANN
f the iarch o h acts r t a m he e, whic by is t ” Cros asson Avenu eclectic y n n a W of l “N t Rache house at 32 tating group as par g o r a in a w nna illions r a o k f c board a n e L fe hav nt of m ved to as a sa . Nanny mo he moveme uth to the ,t So nts reside eat Migration m the rural e 1970s, o r r f G s – e n a 17 th elated of th Americ est from 19 n a ic and r r f of A and W ustrial fields ed new h t r o N d n open urban s in in by job reat Migratio ans in d e r r spu eric anny he G an Am er. wed N ries. T indust ities for Afric ip, and allo munity lead h n s her. m tu co der oppor around r and nd lea e e a s n o e w h c o t r f s e o comm e a busines weight nding up to d m tional o o c sta e m , s e b t ed wil to ies the of his paren ring for injur bove r r a c sly ce unity a ven ca selfles absen , and e of her comm n Nanny unior in the e m gJ busive needs Raisin l and a tly puts the u f t c e disresp she constan ires. y famil es ls, anima wants and d ty or i n u n comm nny? her ow your ong a
a str one in r to N le of e any ole simila o r r e e h h t t Is ar value plays lture u who c r you does re? How rchal figu ia matr
Scho el @ l Sieg ibrar y e a h L ic by M ublic Map w York P e T he N
rg C e mbu
n te r
rch in e se a for R
ure, k Cult Blac
JUNIOR
Two of the charac ters played by Rube n Santiago-Hudson Narrator, an adult are himself: the looking back at his childhood, and Ju Nanny’s boarding nio r, who lives in house. The older folks who also live house provide Junio in the boarding r with leadership an d guidance. Hearing struggles helps Ju their nior to learn and gr ow—and gives him family. Santiago-Hu a sense of dson—like the Na rrator/Junior—was Lackawanna, New born in York to an African Am erican mother and Rican father. Althou a Puerto gh he didn’t live wi th his parents, Sant maintained relation iago-Hudson ships with both of them throughout his his godparents, Ad life as well as olph and Mattie Ov erton. All of them, and the residents as well as Nanny of her boarding ho use, provided him support—proving with love and the truth behind th e African proverb to raise a child.” Su “It takes a village rrounded by his vil lage, Santiago-Hu become an accom ds on went on to plished performer in theatre, film, an as well as a director d television, and writer.
Y T I N U M M O C E TH NNA OF LACKAWA na, New York, “1956 Lackawan es cities, like all Great Lak bs everywhere, was thriving! Jo ere. Steel money everywh s, railroads, plants, grain mill body had the docks. Every conk. a new car and a , stores, Restaurants, bars money. everybody made d fish, chicken The smell of frie oating in the and pork chops fl nd.” air every weeke
S OF THE RESIDENT NUE 32 WASSON AVE
core is on, the play at its For Santiago-Huds of its re ca g munity takin the story of a com and ed th bir families who own. Far from the in up d en people who named them, the colorful end up with new, o Lackawanna als an ric Af y ion in man nicknames, a tradit na, an aw ck ities. In La American commun na, ta on M Finger Pete, names like Numb a e m co be Small Paul Pepper Red, and en be ve that you ha trademark, a sign the become a part of ve ha accepted and ce is an pt ce ac mmunity community. This co rough th e ov m s’ ability to key to the character ange d place of great ch society in a time an . for people of color
ity of your commun How do members elling? yt stories and stor connect through mmunity and/or How has your co entity? ed shape your id environment help
STORYTELLING & ORAL TRADITIONS Today, thanks to technology like social media, text messaging, and video calls, we consume the personal stories of both strangers and friends in a more rapid and widespread way than generations before us. Historically these stories passed from person to person at a much slower pace in part because you needed to hear them face-to-face. In West Africa, a griot is a singer/historian who keeps the oral histories of families, tribes, dynasties, and communities alive through song and story. The role is passed down from generation to generation, and often encompasses much more than storytelling. Griots may be musicians and composers, poets and teachers, genealogists and ambassadors. Ruben Santiago-Hudson channels the griot tradition in his formation and delivery of the narrative in Lackawanna Blues. Using language, rhythm, body, and voice, he brings the story to life onstage in the same way these traditional oral storytellers passed along knowledge of ancestral events and histories. The griot tradition is grounded in a sense of community. By passing along memories, stories, and experiences in a performative way, griots helped to preserve aspects of their culture through reflection.
THE BLUES The blues evolved from a number of different cultures, but many scholars have traced aspects of early American blues music back to the songs of West African griots. Both griots and blues musicians use music to pass along memories, stories, and experiences. African American communities—including in New Orleans, Chicago, Memphis, Houston, and Los Angeles—have their own distinct styles of the blues. Storytelling is at the heart of them all. Composer Bill Sims Jr.’s music, as interpreted by blues great Chris Thomas King, supports Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s storytelling: sometimes commenting on the story, sometimes advancing it, sometimes simply providing a foundation for the story to ride on but always present.
What type of music defines you? Do any particular songs come to mind that would underscore particular moments in your life?
LACKAWANNA BLUES PLAYLIST
Scan this code using Search in your Spotify app to listen to classic and contemporary blues songs.
Discovery Guide to e v a h t ’ n y, t “I do i n a m u h h c r a e s e r be o t e v a h h I just g u o n e s ou e g a r u o c hat t e r a h s to elf s y m f o part .” y d o b y r e with ev o-Hudson Santiag —Ruben
Written by Joshua Oduga | Photos courtesy of Ruben Santiago-Hudson.
Special Thanks
The Student Matinee Program also receives generous support from the Rosenthal Family Foundation, Diana Buckhantz & Vladimir & Araxia Buckhantz Foundation, Renee & Meyer Luskin, Deena & Edward Nahmias, Laura & James Rosenwald & Orinoco Foundation, the Artists & Educators Forum, and Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation.
CENTERTHEATREGROUP.ORG | 213.972.8030 | @CTGLA
A MAGICAL, MUSICAL REMINISCENCE.
LACKAWANNA BLUES is actor, playwright, and director Ruben SantiagoHudson’s ode to his 1950s childhood home: Lackawanna, New York. Santiago-Hudson’s autobiographical play focuses on the woman who raised him, Rachel “Nanny” Crosby, and the eccentric community of lost souls and abandoned lovers she nurtured. Inspired by African griot storytelling traditions and the 1950s and ’60s blues he grew up on, Santiago-Hudson embodies over 20 characters, accompanied by the music of composer Bill Sims Jr. Lackawanna Blues pays homage to a woman and place that gave refuge to those who needed to be accepted for who they were and to the power of family, community, and stories.
Written, Performed, and Directed by
RUBEN SANTIAGO-HUDSON Music Performed by
CHRIS THOMAS KING Original Music Composed by
BILL SIMS JR.
Additional Music Composed by
CHRIS THOMAS KING
Ruben Santiago-Hudson crafted Lackawanna Blues as a means of empowering the women in his life through telling their stories and highlighting the roles they play as pillars of families and communities. Who are the people in your life that bring your family and community together, and how do they accomplish this?
Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Photo by Benedict Evans.