A New York Times Critics Pick
“A new production starring an excellent Norm Lewis... As with the best of these observant midcentury dramas, ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ and ‘Death of a Salesman’ among them, ‘Ceremonies’ has a bird’s-eye understanding of human behavior, grounded by the specificity of its setting. ... the play and production have an undeniable dramatic and social potency. It’s as essential as any in the oft-revived midcentury American canon.”
– Juan A. Ramierez, The New York Times
“This play is a classic. We’ve got to get tickets right away!”
– Good Day New York, FOX5 TV
“A veteran director and his supple actors mine the play’s bracing naturalism. … The cast is led by Norm Lewis a Broadway favorite [with a] mighty voice, using his natural warmth and charm to initially endear himself to the audience. … Blue is given vivid life by Calvin M. Thompson. A model of slick poise in his natty suit and cane. Blue grows increasingly menacing without ever really losing his cool; Mr. Thompson sustains this balance expertly, so that by Act Two his slightest gesture can be chilling. Bryce Michael Wood proves equally resourceful and affecting as Theo. … This fine production, surely stings as much as it did more than 55 years ago.”
– Elysa Gardner, New York Sun
“Ceremonies in Dark Old Men is a barbershop King Lear. ... A gently endearing revival of a tensely unpredictable play that's never quite secured its spot in the canon... this production of Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, staged with a light touch and nimble momentum by Davis, makes a strong case for the play's staying power.”
– Dan Rubins, TheaterMania
“I loved it!”
– Christal Young, Good Night New York, FOX5 TV
“This seminal work returns with a first-class revival that reminds us why Elder's voice still matters. … Norm Lewis anchors the production with a performance full of aching humanity. His 'Ceremonies of Dark Old Men' – the comforting, bittersweet stories he clings to – are the soul of Elder's play, and Lewis brings them to life with heartbreaking authenticity. ...Thanks to Davis's assured direction and deeply human cast, the Parker family's dreams, failures, and fleeting moments of dignity resonate as sharply today as they did over half a century ago. Elder's play is not a dusty artifact – it's a living, breathing reminder of the cycles of hope and hardship that still echo through generations. With this production, 'Ceremonies' reclaims its rightful place in influential playwriting, a poignant blueprint for storytelling that demands to be seen, heard, and felt anew.”
– Stage and Cinema
“The play is a classic, an important and exceptional drama from a time when dramatic writing was particularly prized and at a peak. … Rock solid. …A production of consequence, strengthened by a perfection of ensemble casting. Principal Norm Louis is not only outstanding as family patriarch Russell Parker, but smart direction by Clinton Turner Davis keeps momentum at a steady pace, building action to a stunning climax and conclusion. … Ultimately, when all of the elements of a stage production come together in excellence—text, direction and the alchemy of beautifully-integrated ensemble acting, magic happens. In its slice of life, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men resides in a world resonant with depth and meaning. It’s a gem.”
– Marilyn Lester, Theater Pizzazz
“A beautifully constructed play. You will carry this family and their associates with you. No matter your race or economic situation. In this tiny little shop in this tiny little family rests the whole world. Every hope and dream. Every hurt and broken promise.”
– Tulis McCall, The Front Row Center
“Norm Lewis is truly a Broadway legend and a force across the stage and screen whose presence has lit up productions like Phantom of the Opera, The Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess, and Les Misérables. And now he is taking on a powerful and emotionally charged role in ‘Ceremonies in Dark Old Men.’”
– PIX11 Morning News
“A joint presentation with the Peccadillo Theater Company and producer Eric Falkenstein, the NEC revisits this gut-punch period piece, offering a rock-solid production that hums along toward inevitable tragedy, chronicling the socioeconomic plight of Harlem in the 1950s through the deeds and decisions of one troubled family. … a bounty of strong performances.”
– Stanford Friedman, Off Off Online |
