| The Tramaine Experience: An Urban Dramedy |
| Written by Christian Leadley | |||
| Monday, 26 September 2011 00:10 | |||
 Where: The Chernuchin Theater at The American Theater of Actors When: Sept. 22nd-October 2nd Presented by: The Araca Project Written by: Tramaine Montell Ford & Evan McGee Starring: Tramaine Montell Ford Featuring: Lashonna Holloway, Jasmine Johnson, & Ria Mae Binaoro Directed by: Robert Goodwin Hailing from Chicago, IL, actor Tramaine Montel Ford is both writer and star of this often touching if sometimes underwhelming one-man show. As you enter, you encounter a stage with an assortment of small sets scattered about the wide stage. On a high catwalk, boxes are stacked and strewn with multi-color Christmas lights, three tapestries and an overstuffed armchair inhabit stage right while a cluster of chairs and children's toys litter stage left. A graffiti mural covers the floor of the stage and reads "In loving memory, Andre". Listening to the background music, I'm reminded of the Nick Cannon show on MTV, "Wild 'N Out". I feel like RENT should be happening in front of me. The beat up chairs creak and moan as I seat myself next to a young man chatting happily away on his phone before the house lights dim. I can't help but overhear him saying, "Yeah, it's basically the same show but upgraded." and my in the back of my head I instinctively say to myself,"Oh no. One-man show + expanded budget = nervous actor that ends up drowning in a smorgasbord of new toys." Which is almost what happened. The gifted Ford spends most of his time hopping in and out of costumes, presenting a colorful cast of caricatures. As the show progresses we come to understand that they are the people that inhabited Cabrini-Green, a public housing development on Chicago's north side, and what I can only assume was Ford's old stomping ground. Though some of the characters are at times tedious, two-dimensional, or excessively foul-mouthed (those with milder sensibilities should check them at the door), there are some that are downright spooky in their verisimilitude to what I can only assume are real-life counterparts, often with hilarious effect. Such characters include a trench-coat wearing homeless alcoholic, the sassy stiletto-wearing Laquanda, a Pakistani corner store owner, and Pookie, the young drug-dealing gangbanger who waxes philosophical when the mood takes him. Oddly enough, with a title like, "The Tramaine Experience" Ford manages to relegate himself to a minor character, though as himself he is the strongest and most compelling of the personalities to grace the stage. In that same vein, Ford is strongest when he is either dancing (his credits include having been a backup dancer to Lady Gaga as well as having studied at The Alvin Ailey School), or allows himself to have an intimate moment with the audience. His final monologue (a conversation with his mother) in particular delivers a much needed touch of solid and touching honesty that brings a satisfying close to his show. All caricature and chiffon-throwing aside, at its core it is a triumphant story about the human experience that, with the kinks worked out, could potentially be quite powerful and entertaining from start to finish. The show is part of The Araca Project, a new endeavor by The Araca Group in conjunction with Syracuse University's Drama Department. In years past, The Araca Group has produced such well-known shows as Urinetown, Wicked, The Wedding Singer, and Rock of Ages. The objective of The Araca Project is to foster the emerging artist's entrepreneurial spirit. Selected artists are given the opportunity to produce their work in an Off-Broadway venue. The goal is to give artists a pride of ownership in their careers by providing a forum which both manifests their artistic visions as well as galvanizes classroom theory with real-world action. Through The Araca Project, artists will take initiative and assume the responsibility of a producer, including: securing production rights from an author; casting; rehearsing; assembling design elements; raising capital; engaging a creative team; loading in and out a physical production; budgeting; marketing; and maintaining a box office/ticketing system. The 2011 Inaugural Araca Project season is: • Pluck the Day (Sept. 8-18) by Steven Walters; produced by Lucy Sheftall and Danny Skinner For more articles like The Tramaine Experience: An Urban Dramedy, please visit the Stage Features Section of TimesSquare.com
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