KATRINA at Loft Ensemble

John Goodwin and Jessica Perkins. Photo by Paul Davis and Victoria Greenwood.

Socks Whitmore – Stage Raw

…KATRINA is a highly sensory play; from an excellently crafted hurricane soundscape to a backdrop cleverly painted to meld with the projections of a churning sea, the audience is encouraged to feel immersed in the storm. The recounting of Hurricane Katrina is communicated by footage, voice over, and the acted-out broadcasts of two newscasters. (A note for theatregoers: the seating arrangement will give those seated by the entrance a close-up view of these actors from behind.) The weatherperson and reporter step in and out of the fourth wall throughout the show, sometimes reporting live on the 2005 tragedy, and sometimes speaking directly to the audience about what it was like. All four talented Black actors that make up the cast are at their most powerful in their characters’ moments of greatest distress, but a favorite moment was the temporary levity during Nyla’s a capella solo “Give Me Some Blues” as she sang and danced with Dante. Read more…