Chicken and Biscuits

CAST

(Alphabetical Order)

La’trice Franklin – GeCamri Amberay  
Brianna Jenkins – *Ken’ja L Brown
Reginal Mabry – Tyrone King 
Baneatta Mabry – *Denise Lee 
Kenny Mabry – Sheridan Monroe 
Logan Leibowitz – Karl Martin 
Beverly Jenkins – Shaundra Norwood
Simone Mabry – Tayla Underwood

* Ms. Brown and Ms. Lee appear courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association by special arrangement. Actors Equity Association is the union of professional actors and stage managers.

My thoughts on Chicken and Biscuits by Douglas Lyons or…thicker than water.

The family has arrived to lay the patriarch of the Jenkins family and pastor of the church, Bernard Jenkins, to rest. But it’s going to be a minute before Reverend Jenkins can rest in peace. Baneatta Mabry (M. Denise Lee), Bernard’s eldest daughter, whose husband Reginal (Tyrone King) will be assuming the pastoral duties of the church, is on edge as her younger sister Beverly (Shaundra Norwood) with whom she has had a long-standing rivalry, will be attending with her teenage daughter La’Trice (GeCamri Amberay). Baneatta’s children Simone (Tayla Underwood) and Kenny (Sheridan Monroe) are attending, and Kenny is bringing his white boyfriend Logan (Karl Martin). To further complicate matters, a half-sister, Brianna Jenkins (Ken’ja L. Brown), who is known only to Baneatta shows up.

There’s nothing here that is earth shatteringly new in the sitcom set up of Chicken and Biscuits. The appeal of the play is in its witty dialogue, the way the personalities of the characters are revealed, and the warmth playwright Douglas Lyons has for these characters. These people are all familiar types, but none are stereotypes.

There is so much love and laughter in Chicken and Biscuits and Director Sheran Goodspeed Keyton makes certain that each laugh and each moment of tenderness is highlighted by her seamless direction. Keyton also has a sharp eye for casting and has assembled a dream one here.

GeCamri Amberay is winning as La’Trice. La’Trice has inherited quite a bit of her demeanor and a big helping of sass from her mother Beverly. She’s constantly on the phone but has a comment for everyone. Amberay is such a natural teen here that you would bet she has her geometry book backstage. It’s impossible not to like this young woman and Amberay is at her best when interacting with other characters. Her scene with Kenny’s boyfriend Logan on the church steps is one of the best in the play.

Logan is the “fish out of water” character here. He’s a white, Jewish young man at a Black funeral for the first time to support his boyfriend. Karl Martin captures the awkward nervousness of Logan and wins our sympathy as he so desperately tries to do everything right but constantly and hilariously fails. Martin shows some fine comedic timing here.

Tayla Underwood as Simone and Sheridan Monroe as Kenny are so convincing as siblings that someone needs to do a DNA test. They have that easiness a sister and brother have from the many years of growing up together. Underwood is sensational as the recently wounded Simone, who is recovering from a breakup. She has inherited her stubbornness and some of her prejudices from her mother and Underwood is particularly good revealing Simone’s vulnerability.

Sheridan Monroe is terrific as Kenny. Kenny has gotten strength and stability from his father and Monroe’s Kenny is a quiet force as he navigates the funeral and tries to keep both his boyfriend and his family happy. That quiet force becomes a bit louder when Simone speaks of Kenny’s “lifestyle choice” and he sets her straight, no pun intended, on lifestyle versus identity. Monroe delivered the message so powerfully at the performance I attended that the audience applauded loudly. He is a gifted young actor who knows how to fully inhabit a character.

Tyrone King is the head of the family, Reginal Mabry. Reginal, a minister, is a calming force amid all the chaos of the play. King’s Mabry is the very essence of a strong, quiet character. He is devoted to his wife Baneatta and to his children. King is the backbone of the play always stable and rational. King has his best moments in Act II as he delivers the eulogy and takes over the proceedings like the pro showman he is.

I wish that Ken’ja L. Brown had more stage time as the half-sister Brianna as her character has an interesting story arc. She’s the illegitimate child of Bernard Jenkins who has lived apart from her relatives for 44 years and has come to bury the father she never knew. Brown is wonderful as she tentatively takes the microphone at the funeral to reveal who she is and later her sorrows of growing up “in the shadows.” Brown shows what a fine actor can achieve with a small role.

The rivalry/relationship between sisters Beverly and Baneatta forms the central plot of Chicken and Biscuits and Director Keyton could not have found two more accomplished actors to fill these roles. As sisters, they are polar opposites.

Shaundra Norwood in a tour de force comic role as Beverly provides almost nonstop laughs. To Baneatta’s chagrin, she has come to the wedding with her “puppies out” and is ready to “hit the club” as soon as the funeral is over. She is quick to share her views on curing a broken heart with Simone. “The best way to get over an ex,” she tells her, “is to get under the next.” Norwood’s Beverly is vivacious, outspoken, and yet obviously troubled by her lack of a relationship with her sister. Norwood brings her all to the sassy, sexy Beverly.

In the opening moments of the play M. Denise Lee as Baneatta is asking the Lord for strength to get through the day and to be able to deal with all she will have to tolerate that day. What we quickly learn is the successful college professor Baneatta is her own worst enemy. She is an accomplished woman and when everything goes her way, life is good. However, Baneatta has built walls around herself. Walls that keep her from loving her sister as she should and from accepting that her son Kenny is gay. She is a woman of conviction whose convictions are keeping her from being the woman she could be. M. Denise Lee gives a stunning performance in the role. You will not always agree with Baneatta but you will always respect her. To say that Lee commands the stage is an understatement, and we care about Baneatta despite her shortcomings. Ultimately, we share her joy as those walls she built begin to crack.

The action of the play takes place on a clever turntable set designed by Bryan Stevenson who also provides the lighting. Hope Cox, using lots of black and royal blue, provides excellent costumes for this, not so somber, somber occasion.

Chicken and Biscuits may be the only things on the menu at the funeral, but in the hands of the stellar cast and creatives, it is a feast!

Photos by Gloria Adame