Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The Devil's Music at the Cleveland Play House, 20 February 2013


I’ll make this short and sweet. Go see Miche Braden as Bessie Smith in The Devil’s Music at the Cleveland Play House. I have only hear the real Bessie Smith on scratchy old recordings from the 20’s and 30’s, but if she was nearly as good as Ms. Braden is in this play than she was quite the talent.
The one act 90 minute production  is filled with great versions of old blues tunes like “Dirty No-Gooder Blues,” “Blame it on the Blues,” “Devil Dance Blues,” “‘t Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do,” and “I Ain’t Got Nobody.” Throughout the show Braden is backed by three talented actors/musicians, George Caldwell on piano, Jim Hankins on bass, and Keith Loftis on sax. The monologues and story telling between songs are wonderful.
The Play House has really hit home runs on their annual musical biographies they have staged over the years, and this is another one. What a great night of musical theater.
The Devil’s Music is running through March 10 downtown at the Play House’s new Allen Theater home. For more information go to www.clevelandplayhouse.com.

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