Tayari's Blog: Ohio State Murders

Posted by TayariJones on November 4, 2007 07:17 AM
Filed under Living For The City

Last night, Sarah Schulman, my unofficial Virgil as I Dante my way through New York, took me to see Ohio State Murders, a play by Adrienne Kennedy. I was thrilled at the invitation. One of the reasons I moved from Urbana, Illinois to NYC was to, well, go to plays. But really, when you are new to town it's hard to know what to see. Sarah, an accomplished playwright, knows her way around the theatre district.

(Self pat-on-the-back: I found my way there all by myself on the subway, no help from friends or websites!)

The playbill was mysteriously worded, "Ohio State Murders portrays Suzanne Alexander, a fictional African American writer whose life both is, and is not, like her author's..." The effect of this was a uneasiness throughout the audience. Did this really happen? After all, the plot was pretty disturbing: An older well known black woman writer is giving a lecture at Ohio State University explaining why her work is so violent. On one level, it is a story of the birth of an intellectual and on another is a murder mystery and the crime is infanticide. When you factor in that Adrienne Kennedy is herself 76 years old and a graduate of Ohio State, you can't help but feel a tightening in your stomach.

The tickets were a little pricey ($80), but I am glad that I went. The theater itself was only about three-quarters full with a mixed audience. There was one celebrity spotting: Cynthia Nixon from Sex in The City was there with her partner. Beside me, Sarah Schulman said, "See, she is a real actor. She goes to see good plays, not just the red carpet stuff."

I am thinking to go to one play a month. Anyone have any suggestion as to what I should see next?

Related links:

  • The lead in this production was played by Lisa Gay Hamilton who played Ludacris's mama on the season finale of "Law and Order: SVU".
  • But Ruby Dee originated the role in 1992.
  • The NYT gave the play a good review.
  • An interview with Adrienne Kennedy.
  • File this under "a damn shame." There is no Wikipedia entry for Adrienne Kennedy.

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    There are 4 comments on "Ohio State Murders". If you'd like to leave a comment, click here to jump down to the comments entry form.

    Comment #1, by JenniferM [TypeKey Profile Page]

    Hey big sis! It's Jennifer here.

    I listen to NY1 on tv and they give great recommendations on happenings in the city. They had mentioned a play yesterday that I wanted to see but I cannot find it on their website. Once I find out, I will share.

    You may want to bookmark their page:

    http://www.ny1.com/ny1/Living/index.jsp

    Also there is a young lady who has an informative website on the happenings int he city called:http://www.aroundharlem.com/

    I am going to see Hairspray on Wednesday because Tevin Campbell is in it. That is the ONLY reason why I am going because of Tevin. I will let you know!

    Here was the review I read on him:

    http://www.playbill.com/news/article/96785.html

    Oh, and I am with you on one play per month. I will go BROKE trying to see everything!


    November 4, 2007 02:45 PM

    Comment #2, by Tayari Jones [TypeKey Profile Page]

    This is from Tina, who was having trouble signing in:

    Join www.TDF.ORG for a nominal fee and receive e-mails regarding bway and off-bway shows, musical and dance performances. the shows available are usually in preview and occasionally long running venues that are having slow ticket sales.
    Recently listed:
    ohio state murders - for $23., cymberline - with phylisa rashad,
    25 annual spelling bee
    rent, garth fagan dance company, elisabeth withers at bb kings club on 42 street, the ritz - with rosie perez, as you can see some good stuff.

    my suggestions:
    my first time, 3 mo' tenors, celia, the drowsy chaperone, the ritz,

    An annual Xmas event that is not on TDF: Alvin Ailey Dance Company at City Center, always awesome! Revelations is ALWAYS performed.


    November 5, 2007 05:47 AM

    Comment #3, by pat [TypeKey Profile Page]

    Hi Tayari. I love theater almost as much as I love books and I'm actually going to see Ohio State Murders next week. Can't wait. Hoodoo Love by playwright Katori Hall is a must see production at the Cherry Lane Theater in NYC. Hall was mentored by Lynne Nottage, the wonderful playwright who wrote Intimate Apparel. Hoodoo Love is a very good production. The Julia Miles Theate is currently showing The Joy Luck Club and its getting mildly favorable reviews. The Overwhelming at The Laura Pels Theatre revisits the genocide in Rwanda. I'd also recommend The Women of Brewster Place at Arena Stage Theater in DC. Saw it this past weekend after attending the Hurston-Wright Awards ceremony in DC and thought it was fabulous.

    November 5, 2007 07:31 PM

    Comment #4, by Stephen Baraban [TypeKey Profile Page]

    I saw "Ohio State Murders" tonight and found it very gripping and moving and vibrant. One thing brought out in the play that I hadn't known was that college English departments in earlier days were reluctant to allow African Americans to become English majors. It is mentioned simply in relation to Ohio State, but I can imagine it was a widespread circumstance. As a Jewish American who studied English/American literature, I am very conscious of the history that at one time Jews were not thought suitable to be English Professors--"oh you know they wouldn't be suitable for transmitting the
    Tradition", but I don't know if we ever had problems simply becoming English majors.

    Tonight after the play as I looked up more information on the playwright, I too was shocked to find that there is no Wikpedia article on Kennedy. I'd also like to note that the Wikipedia article on the play "In His Own Write", based on the prose writings of John Lennon, does not mention Adrienne Kennedy's co-authorship of this play, as noted in other sources. It says that the Lennon book was turned into a play, "co-authored by Victor Spinneti" (sp.?), implying that the only contributions were those of Spinetti (sp.?) and Lennon.

    Somebody needs to introduce Adrienne Kennedy to the Wikipedia universe sometime soon; someone who knows a lot more about her work than I yet do. Well, I could already try to fix the "In His Own Write" article, but I haven't yet learned how to edit Wikipedia, and I'm not sure I want to know, since it could get addictive.

    November 13, 2007 10:22 PM

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