Playwright: Keith Glover ; Music & Lyrics: Keb’ Mo’ & Anderson Edwards
Powerhouse Performers: Troi Coleman • Sarah Sachi • Steven J. Scott • Labraska Washington • Kaleb Womack
Creative Team: Director - Tevyn Washington • Assistant Director - César Jáquez • Music Director - Ronnie “King” Mason, Jr. • Scenic Designer - Brandi Alexander • Costume Designer - Jaymee Ngernwichit • Costume Shop Manager - Leah Smith • Costume Shop Associate - David Jezek • Lighting Designer - Roma Flowers • Assistant Lighting Designer - Ash Parra • Sound Designer - Isaiah Parnell • Assistant Sound Designer - Coda Pariselli • Choreographer - Eboni Bell Darcy • Properties Designer - Jodi Bobrovsky • Stage Manager - Megan Lee Brooks
Photos by Melissa Taylor
“Thunder Knocking on the Door” is a “Bluesical” fairy tale based in 1966 civil rights era Bessemer, Alabama and presents themes of resilience, magic, love, family & celebration that came from creating beauty and songs of grief, loss, pain, love, faith, hope & renewal in the face of systemic racial oppression which continues to this day. Live blues music, and a phenomenal triple threat cast (dance, sing, act), and a largely BIPOC/Queer creative team bring this Stages Houston performance to life with a blast of sound and a bold set with dynamic lighting that immerses the audience in a soulful, bright, and sometimes cheeky way.
For costumes, I gained insight & inspiration from researching African-American Delta Folklore history (i.e. Robert Johnson’s crossroads tale, Voodoo, Yoruba, lwas, veves/cosmograms, haint blue, igpoema purma/morning glory flower/John the Conqueroo) to 19th to 20th century Blues, R&B, and Afro-funk/Futurist music artists (Sun Ra, Parliament Funkadelic, etc.) to general fashions of the 1960s from archival images of Black families to Instagram vintage influencers like @_sewrena to key figures from the civil rights movements and more. I thoroughly enjoyed working in tandem with multiple departments to help support and breathe life into this effusive and effervescent tale. I wish this show could be mounted at all House of Blues - it certainly is an enjoyable night of music and celebration that makes it easy to overlook a predictable plot with a strong cast and creative team.
**Fun on-stage Costume Transformation: Glory’s gold vintage a line boatneck dress comes apart by Thunder pulling the little gold bow at the back while Glory unclips the shoulders and reveals the Nefertiti-Whitney Houston/Marc Bouwer-Betty Davis inspired gown for Glory in the cutting contest. Many thanks to Leah Smith, David Jezek, Jodi Bobrovsky & more for helping me create these costumes.