I think being a nerd is a good thing. Present me with a nerdy Black man on any given day, at any given hour. and you will have my attention for the duration of your storytelling. In the interest of transparency, I should note that I might easily be classified as a nerdy Black man. And when I meet another nerdy Black man, I become extremely curious: Where does he come from? How did this nerdy Black man get to be — the man that he is?
Constellation Theatre’s Moon Man Walk tells us one such story through the eyes of a guy named Spencer. We see his life as a child, living with his mom and wrestling with life’s challenges while being insufficiently supported by the adults in his life, who, though caring enough, are hampered from being fully present for their child by the distractions of their own distresses. But that is not entirely fair. He is supported by the agreement made between his mom and dad to such an extent that he can attend college successfully and train to become a writer. But — he is not at this time a writer; he is a librarian. The fact that he is not a writer, but merely peripherally involved with words, may have something to do with why the story requires him to make the journey he makes in Moon Man Walk.
Of works for stage and screen in which adults are called to task for their failure to understand and respond to the needs of the children in their charge, even when they are trying to, Moon Man Walk was, for me, strongly reminiscent of the movies Night of the Hunter (though the main character in this is white) and Moonlight. In all three stories the father has been removed by circumstances that don’t allow for discussion. In all three, adult responsibilities are thrust upon the children. In all three the moon is a source of dream, comfort, and escape. In all three there is a necessary journey undertaken by the main characters to enable them to change and thereby find a more fulfilling life.
Spencer’s story is told in flashback as we see him being informed of his mother Esther’s death. Spencer meets Petrushka, who, like Beatrice in Dante’s Divine Comedy, accompanies him on his journey. He discovers that unlike what his mother has maintained all these years, his father is alive and that both parents together contrived to make sure that the father’s influence did not intrude on the son’s life, with one caveat: His father insisted that his son be named Spencer, so that when his son came looking for him, the father would be able to know that it was him.
This play relies on the audience having and being willing to acknowledge certain biases about Black people. We assume that while such families do exist, most Black American families (unless, perhaps, they live in New England) do not give their children names such as Spencer. (Nor Petrushka, for that matter.) This is the father’s assumption as well — which is what will make it possible for him to recognize this Spencer as his authentic only begotten son and not simply a grifter.
When Spencer and Petrushka go through the deceased Esther’s belongings, Spencer discovers that his dad is still alive and in jail. During the remainder of the play, we see the relationship of Spencer’s mother and father, what brought them together and what pulled them apart. We see Spencer and his mother and their relationship, the son’s resentment, rejection, and prickly connection to his mom. We see the life Spencer imagined for his father — based on what his mother had told him — as an astronaut on the moon. (It is from this that the title of the play comes while at the same time suggesting the steps that Spencer takes out of his comfort zone and into his new life.) We see him and his father meet for the first time and negotiate the beginning of a relationship curated by state correctional institutions and held together by their desire for each other’s presence.
All of the performances of this cast are strong. In lesser hands, Patrick M. Doneghy’s portrayals of multiple characters could easily have allowed the production’s complex structure to collapse, but Doneghy never lets us down. Renee Elizabeth Wilson as Spencer’s mother, Esther, is impressive throughout, but the scene where she tells middle school–aged Spencer that he will no longer have access to her heart to hurt her, makes you hold your breath. Jasmine Joy Brooks as the sexy, world-savvy (definitely not nerdy) love interest who accompanies and, at times, guides Spencer through his journey is a distillation of tough love. And Jonathan Del Palmer’s Spencer is nerdy without being a parody. He’s the one we have to believe in regardless of how unbelievable his mannerisms or his actions are. And Palmer pulls that off.
The set is appropriately dreamlike. Where so often we are treated to evenings of social realism, how accustomed are we to authentically dreaming in African American landscapes onstage? Here, we are simultaneously on the moon — as Spencer might have constructed it from what he would have seen on TV and the slightly blurry images from Encyclopedia Britannica. And yet we are in Spencer and Esther’s home replete with Ebony and Jet magazines and an assortment of vinyl long-playing records that run the gamut of middle class–aspiring, Great Migration–roots-establishing-and-maintaining Black American taste: John Coltrane, Marvin Gay, Aretha Franklin, Dinah Washington. (Yes, my household had/has all of these and more.) This is a family that rode the waves of societal respect and tolerance from being colored to N(n)egro to B(b)lack.
The script by James Ijames repeatedly surprises, both in the dialogue and in its structure. An example of the structurally unexpected comes toward the end. As Spencer is making his peace with his memory of his mother (the choices she made in raising him and the choices he made in responding to or pulling away from her), his mother appears and recites, from a kind of blood memory and ritual, their genealogy, proudly tracing for Spencer, and for the audience, Spencer’s background through his matrilineal ancestry. It is as if she is saying: You want to know where this nerdy Black man comes from? You want to know how this nerdy Black man got to be the man he is? Well, now you know.
Director Angelisa Gillyard steers the cast and crew through this magical journey with a steady hand that has allowed the cast to do work that is spontaneous, uninhibited, and daring. It’s always a joy to see her work.
The word that most accurately sums up the effect of Moon Man Walk on this viewer is poignant. I was constantly pricked by a variety of emotions. By turns the show is sad, funny, heartwarming, likable, and, without being unrealistic, hopeful. This show is also magical, mythical, dreamlike, comforting, and so, so satisfying.
Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
Moon Man Walk can be viewed either in person on on demand. In-person performances run to August 22, 2021, at CulturalDC’s Source Theatre, 1835 14th Street NW, Washington DC (between 14th and T). In-person tickets are $10–49 plus fees. Video On Demand is available August 27 to September 12. Patrons who purchase a Video On Demand ticket will receive a link to stream the filmed production anytime during the virtual run. Patrons will have a 72-hour window in which to enjoy the show. Video On Demand tickets are $20 per household plus fees. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Box Office at (202) 204-7741 or online at ConstellationTheatre.org.
COVID SEATS: A limited number of $10 tickets for each performance are available for purchase on Constellation Theatre’s website to those who have been financially affected by the pandemic. Additional fees apply.
DISCOUNTED TICKETS: Constellation will give away a pair of complimentary tickets for every performance using a digital lottery, which may be entered on the theater’s website until up to 48 hours before each performance. Groups of 4 or more are eligible for a 25% discount on regularly priced tickets. First responders, active or retired military personnel, teachers, and students are eligible for a 50% discount on regularly priced tickets. Additional fees apply. Please visit ConstellationTheatre.org/special-offers for discount codes and more information.
COVID-19 SAFETY PLAN: As we welcome audiences back to Source for the first time in 18 months, Constellation is committed to creating a safe and enjoyable experience for all. As announced on August 5, Constellation has united with other DC-area theaters to require that all audience members wear masks and provide proof of vaccination to attend indoor performances. For a comprehensive overview of our policies, visit ConstellationTheatre.org/covid-safety-plan.
CREDITS
Spencer: Jonathan Del Palmer
Petrushka: Jasmine Joy Brooks
Esther: Renee Elizabeth Wilson
Kesi, Astronaut, Flower Guy, Funeral Guy: Patrick M. Doneghy
Director and Choreographer: Angelisa Gillyard
Scenic and& Lighting Designer: A.J. Guban
Costume Designer: Austin Blake Conlee
Sound Designer: Kevin L. Alexander
Technical Director: Mike Salmi
Associate Technical Director: Sean Miller
Master Electrician: Emma Streett
Assistant Stage Manager: L Bruce
Assistant Costume Designer: Cody Von Ruden
Assistant Intimacy Director: Jordan Standford
Light Board Programmer: Paul Calahan
Audio Engineer: Gordon Nimmo-Smith
Video Production & Editing: Blue Land Media
Properties Designer: Amy Kellett
Intimacy and Fight Director: Jenny Male
SEE ALSO:
Constellation to open ‘Moon Man Walk’ both in person and streaming
