Papa's Blues
By Javon Johnson

The Characters
Rashon Reynolds, age 22
(Spencer Hindman)
Nathan Reynolds, Rashon's father
(Franklin Westbrooks)
Rashon Reynolds, age 9
(Todd Dixon, Michael Dixon)
Rosemary Reynolds, Rashon's sister, age 13
(Victoria Bowser-Collins, Monique Toney)
Pearl Reynolds, Rashon's mother
(Nyjah Moore)
Ma Rose, Nathan's mother
(Linda Hunt)

Director's Notes
Papa's Blues is a wonderful story of an extended family exploring life in a southern town in two historical periods. The first period is 1982 and the second one is 1995. What is unique is that the twenty-two year old son tells the story. He becomes the ancient griot, familiar to most African Americans, who provides themes that allow for bonding, for reflection, or for strengthening the family unit. Influenced by the need to know, the need to be, the need to move beyond the issues of economic exclusion, Javon Johnson presents in clear terms the anger, beauty, fear, humor, and love existing within the family.

This is a household of three generations of African Americans coming from four separate decades. Each decade brings a new or different way of responding to crisis, to social issues, to family values and methods of discipling or supporting our youth and each other. Javon Johnson positions the family as first and as the essential structure that holds the community and a nation together. This places the church, the school, and the place of employment as the secondary sources for stability with most social units in the community. In Papa's Blues, the often-ignored stately and wise matriarch exists with warmth and dignity. On an aesthetic level, this young playwright's love for being a "proud African American" creates memorable icons, metaphors, phrases social rituals, situations, and solutions. He presents penetrating reminders that education and a vigorous attack upon an unjust social system eventually produces freedom and justice. We feel the creation of life to the rhythm chord structure of Joe Williams' pulsating blues and the piano riff of Count Basie.

I dedicate this production to Dr. Vernell Lillie for giving birth to my pen. Thanks to Mr. August Wilson, Derrick L. Sanders, Mark C. Southers, Kevin Wetmore, KRT, Rob Penny, the cast, and all those who aided me in this process. Great things happen because of great people. Special thanks to God for the gift, to my mother for my strength, to my wife for massaging my temples, and to Mr. Stephen Henderson for giving me the chance to speak.