Firefighter Nick Baskerville’s solo production of Black Smoke Showing ignites a fire of curiosity about Black firefighters with an engaging storytelling mix of comedy, candid commentary, and charisma.
The show blends historical events and personal narrative. For example, Baskerville cleverly pairs sharing his research about Molly Williams (recognized as the first Black woman firefighter) with spending an afternoon connecting with his daughter.
We learn about the Freedom House Ambulance Service that served the predominantly Black community known as the Hill District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Ambulance Service was staffed solely by a cadre of African Americans who were trained to deliver emergency medical treatment on-site and en route to the hospital, making it the first paramedic program in the world. And we learn what happened when the city took it over.
Baskerville is a poised and charming storyteller, one obviously comfortable on the stage. He brought events to life with contagious cheer, wordplay, and occasional jokes. Moreover, his relaxed candor about race and the challenge of racism is noteworthy.
There were a few kinks. The pacing was affected by exchanges with the audience. On the other hand, Baskerville’s ease with us made for an intimate experience. There was also confusing misnaming of one of the luminaries. Baskerville corrected himself when he realized it. Both those are minor details in an otherwise stellar Fringe debut.
When you first sit down to listen to Baskerville share stories about trailblazers like John Moon or Molly Williams, you might be tempted to wonder about the stakes for him and for the audience. But the stakes and the relevance of the stories to today are clear by the end of the show. Baskerville desperately wants to avoid allowing the “firsts” for a specific contribution or role in fire service to be forgotten or overlooked any longer. He needs to share his knowledge (and correct misinformation) about the contributions of African American firefighters and organizations such as the African American Fire Fighters Historical Society, both to preserve a legacy and to inspire a new generation of brave African Americans to follow in his footsteps.
Baskerville performed this show because his passion for firefighting and sharing his knowledge about Black firefighters makes him happy. Thus, it’s the perfect show to embody the theme of this year’s Fringe Festival, which is Happy. I’m happy I saw it.
Running Time: 75 minutes
Genre: Solo/Comedy
Dates and Times:
- July 20 at 7:05 PM
Venue: Delirium, 1120 Connecticut Avenue NW
Tickets: $15
More Info and Tickets: Black Smoke Showing: Stories of African American Firefighters
The complete 2024 Capital Fringe Festival schedule is online here.
