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Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2009 > June > 20 > Entry
Best Show in Town
I know Joey Votto will be over playing with the Dayton Dragons tonight and Sunday afternoon, “Legally Blonde” is still at the Schuster Center and they’ve got the Civil Rights Game and all its festivities down with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park — and all of those are good viewing choices — but if you really want to treat yourself to something special, go see “Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow” playing at the Loft Theatre tonight through June 28.
This has someone who swings for the fences, civil rights and the stage all wrapped into one.
I saw it with my wife Friday night and it was flat-out tremendous. It’s the best show I’ve seen here in a long time.
Danielle Lee Greaves, the Broadway vet who plays Waters in playwright Larry Parr’s one-woman show, held the audience in her spell all night as she told the inspirational story — in animated narrative and especially with her 15 songs — of the sassy, outspoken blues and jazz singer who was a pioneer for black performers some 80 years ago and whose life was forever changed when she finally joined the Billy Graham Crusade in 1957.
Waters — who lived from 1896 to 1977 — was raised in a poor and violent back-alley neighborhood in Philadelphia, was all but forced into marriage at age 13 to an abusive husband and worked as a hotel maid for $4.75 a week.
After a year, she managed to flee the guy and, by chance, her musical talent was discovered. She ended up touring on the black vaudeville circuit, then became part of the Harlem Renaissance and from there her career spanned Broadway, movies, concerts — eventually derailing with more personal trouble — until she finally hooked up with Graham.
With the lively accompaniment of Cincinnati’s Scot Woolley on piano, Greaves takes you on that journey singing many of Waters’ songs: “Stormy Weather,” “Frankie and Johnny,” “Taking a Chance on Love,” “Heat Wave,” “Little Black Boy,” “Dinah” and the Rudy Vallee/Hoagy Carmichael treat “Old Man Harlem.” And, of course, there’s Water’s signature version of the old spiritual “His Eye Is On The Sparrow.”
Greaves is so good that — even without Waters’ stirring story line — I’d come back to see her sing anytime.
Add in the direction of Dayton native Schele Williams (schooled at Stivers and Colonel White and the Muse Machine), Tamara L. Honesty’s Loft set, the fine costumes and lighting and you’ve got a magical night that will stay with you awhile.
The Loft is at 126 N. Main St. Tickets are $33 at (937) 228-3630, (888) 228-3630 or www.ticketcenterstage.com.
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