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Ranson Brings Muse's Secrets to Stage
Rebecca Ranson's had three of the nicest people visit here head and she cajoled them into
performing their Secrets at the Nexus Theater.
All but a lucky few of you missed the premiere of this SAME production of Ranson's 'dream
play' October 6 - opening nights only happen once - so slap yourself now, then go buy tickets.
Secrets is not as ethereal as the promos suggest, nor is it a timely twist on Guess Who's
Coming to Dinner. Secrets is an episodic story about three unconventional characters who find
39 years of harmony in their loving, respecting and understanding of each other.
Though you may have missed the opening, don't be foolish and miss the first encounter
between Rosetta and Phoebe. This first scene alone is worth the ticket price, as Ranson (with
the help of her three muses) has created a near flawless gem.
Meet Rosetta, played by Deborah Duke. In 1930 she is 17 and pregnant, living alone far
from home and working at the Mill in Carrboro, NC. As a young black woman in a small
Southern town she is aware of, but untroubled by the conventions of her time and place. Her
happiness and goodness run deep within; she's not seeking any truth or spirituality outside of
her own body. Rosetta takes life at her pace in order to 'feel every feeling around it'. Her most
memorable quality is her timelessness; she could be 17 or 107, making quilts and loving the
simple things in life.
Phoebe, brought to life by Melanie Hammet, is the other side of the coin. Also a young
woman in 1930, when they meet, Phoebe is living with her brother and midwifing for the
women whose condition can't wait for Thursdays or Saturdays. She wears a general disdain
for most folks on the sleeve of her flannel shirt and cuff of her trousers - a real woman's woman
with rough hands and hard logic. Yet, there is tenderness in Phoebe, but it's for Rosetta's soft
skin only. It is Phoebe's passion for self -fulfillment and justice that carries the characters and
the play through the second act Yes, Phoebe is the kind of woman with whom many in the
audience identify - the kind of woman whose face belongs on a coin.
Terry Wells does a remarkable job with Leland, whose love and support for his sister is
unconditional, his respect monumental. He is a bachelor asking for little more than his stamps
and his sister’s rantings as entertainment. Certainly he wishes for a lover but like his lemonade,
he is too sweet, and, like Rosetta, his life is too complete for him to strive for his greatest
potential. Leland carries the weight of time in the play; he’s the source of information, anec
dotes and forebodings. But finally, Leland is the brother of every lesbian's dreams; he says of
Dianne Davidson
Olivia's "Second Wave" Artist Breaks All The Rules
Dianne Davidson’s new album,
Breaking All the Rules (Second Wave
Records, a division of Olivia Records),
doesn’t really break all the rules, but the
ones it does break may signal a welcome
change in the direction of traditional
“women’s” music. Most noticeable is the
departure from the folk vein regularly
associated with “women’s” music (June
Millington and Tret Fure notwithstanding).
According to a press release, Dianne
“doesn't care if (her music) is called blues,
rock, country, folk or ‘field and stream,”’ and there’s quite a mix on this record.
Side one starts off with a rockin’ Karla Bonoff/Kenneth Edwards tune called ‘Trouble
Again,” followed by a reggae number written by Dianne, “What’m I Gonna Do.” There’s the
more folk-oriented songs, like ‘Tonight I’ll Dream That You Care” (Dianne’s) and “Song of
Bernadette” (Jennifer Wames, Leonard Cohen, W. Elliot), and a killer blues, Willie Dixon’s
“Built For Comfort.” Dianne’s vocals shine on all the cuts—kind of like Tracy Nelson meets
Tracy Chapman and then some (Tracy Nelson even provides some back up on “Keep My Love
Light Bumin’”). Dianne handles all these differing types of music with ease, at times (like on
“Built For Comfort” and the gospel “Heaven Bound”) becoming downright thrilling.
So what else is breaking some rules on this album? How about this switch: the almost
expected tribute to Mom is replaced by the powerful “Song For My Father” (But now when 1
think about him there's laughter in my eyes!It's the last gift from my father). And then there’s
that gospel tune, a genre that’s largely ignored by “women’s” music, excepting of course Sweet
Honey in the Rock. This is a rouser, featuring some good chorus work by the Dennis Family,
although inexplicably producer Dianne chose to fade out the ending instead of treating us to a
stirring gospel ending.
Another difference is the new record label—Second Wave. Olivia calls this their
“mainstream” label. Sad but true, radio stations and other promotional folks tend to totally
ignore Olivia and other “women’s” labels, so this marks an attempt to break away from the old
perceptions and try for more widespread recognition for artists.
The musicianship here is commendable, featuring Linda Geiger on drums, Leigh Maples on
bass, and Nina Gerber, Dianne and Larry Chaney qn guitars. Good, tight arrangements abound,
although occasionally (as on “Built For Comfort”) the guitar breaks are a bit of letdown from
the sheer excitement of Dianne’s voice.
All in all, Breaking All the Rules is a well done album. A couple of songs (“So Lucky” and
“Keep My Love Light Burning”) are not quite up to par with the rest of the songs, but Dianne’s
rich, strong vocal carries even those. And there’s the almost de rigueur AIDS song (“Killer
Without A Heart”), this time with deep, very deep, emotion (Young lives lose the fight
ovemightITo a killer without a heartllt’s without a heart). It’s heart-rending. Simply heart
rending.
This is actually Dianne’s fourth album, her first with Second Wave (Baby, Backwoods
Woman, and Mountain Mama were all recorded on Janus Records. She’ll be in Atlanta
performing at Olivia’s 15th Anniversary Concert in November.
—KC Wildmoon
o
the women, "Both are sisters,
one by blood, the other by
heart"
The two- act play is
comprised of ten scenes
spanning the years 1930 to
1969. As what came
naturally - meditatively - to
Writer/Director Ranson, the
scenes are dated and titled.
Scenes 1,2 and 3 of Act I are
entitled 'Rosetta's baby is
bom", "Phoebe and Rosetta
acknowledge love", and
"Rosetta moves out". All
Sphere Le,and (Terr ? Wells) ’ Rosetta Duke ) and
the dialogue is as comical as Phoebe (Melanie Hammett) in Ransons's Secrets.
informational, with the two women playing tug-of-war with their independent selves. Leland
acts as straight man for much of the schtick, but it is his role as a reflective character that adds
the high gloss to these first three highly polished scenes. Icing on the cake comes in the second
scene with Rosetta as instigator, opening the secret door to Phoebe's tenderness. Here, Duke
and Hammet display thorough understanding of their characters and give the audience some
meat to sink their teeth in.
Phoebe's gift in the third scene leaves all three of them wide open for attack. All I can say is
"Goddamnit" and watch out!
Thirteen years have passed. Now it's 1969 and "Leland retires from the fight", but not before
he brings us up to date. The fight is for civil rights and Leland, now 64, bristles with pride won
by surpassing even the wildest of his expectations. Then on to Scene 7," 1969, Rosetta dies".
Thanks for the warning! Of all ten, this final scene is the least precious. Its failing, due perhaps
in part to my own expectations, rests in the character of Phoebe. She says she is mad, but where
is the anger. Where is the desperation when she asks, "You aren't going to die on me are you?"
This is an aged amazon warrior and I anticipated that distillation of character that age brings.
Despite this minor inconsistency, the end is effective - all ends tied neatly.
The strong performances by all three actors make it public knowledge that Ranson's visitors
are as generous with their selves as with their story.
-JessiMcVay
Secrets runs through Oct. 23 at Nexus Theatre, 608 Ralph McGill Blvd, Thursday - Sunday at
8PM. Tickets are $10 and are available in advance at Charis Books and More. Reservations
can be made by calling 688-2500. NOTE: There win be no performance on Oct 20.
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PAMELA J. COLE