"You need to make yourself right with yourself," is just one of the many gems of wisdom that the 366-year-old Aunt Ester shares in the Milwaukee Repertory Theater's play "Gem of the Ocean," currently staged at the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater.
The play is the first in a series of 10 written by August Wilson, which feature the African American experience in each decade of the 20th century. This first play is set in 1904 Pittsburgh, and revolves around Citizen Barlow, who seeks out Aunt Ester to "get his soul washed."
I was blown away by Wilson's powerful use of poetic language that left me wanting to scratch the entire script down in my tiny notebook so that I could savor each line again later. Wilson masterfully intertwined the use of song and personal storytelling throughout the play, tapping even into tales of dreams to richly build his characters.
Kudos to the actors and actresses who did an outstanding job bringing these characters to life. It must be amazing to be a part of bringing this message to an audience. It's powerful stuff.
It is hard not to be deeply moved by this play that not only tells a personal story but the story of a whole social class, and addresses issues that continue to affect us today. My friend who came with me to the play commented that it made her "embarrassed to be white."
For me, there was a lot to love about this play: the rhythm of the rain, the ritual, the strong feminine characters, and the messages it all conveyed. It affected me intellectually and emotionally. It will make me think for a while.
It also made me cry. As the lights came up and I was hastily wiping away the tears from the corners of my eyes, I asked myself, "Why are your crying with all these people around?" But after some thought, a more appropriate question would be, "Why wasn't everyone else crying, too?"
Jessica Laub was born in Milwaukee in the spring of 1970, thereafter spending her childhood days enjoying the summers on the shores of Lake Michigan and winters at the toboggan chute in Brown Deer Park.
Alas, she moved away to broaden her horizons, and studied out East for a few years at Syracuse University. After a semester "abroad" at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, she graduated with a B.A. in English and advertising.
After college, she worked at Glacier National Park, a ski hill in Steamboat, Col. and organic farms in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California.
In 1995, Laub moved to Nicaragua where she worked on community gardens, reforestation and environmental education as a Peace Corps volunteer. While there, she learned to speak Spanish, pay attention to world politics and how to make tortillas.
Laub then returned to Milwaukee to join the ranks of the non-profit sector. Currently, she works at the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF) and keeps busy by painting, throwing pots, reading, trying to understand her two-year old son, seeing performances and howling at the moon.
