Fuse dance and gospel with a biblical narrative and you get a holiday classic with thoroughly Cleveland roots. “Black Nativity” returns to Playhouse Square this weekend, presented by Karamu House.
It originally debuted off-Broadway in 1961. Karamu founders Russell and Rowena Jelliffe asked their friend and artistic partner, Langston Hughes, to create a telling of the birth of Christ.
Nina Domingue, Karamu’s current associate artistic director, said the celebrated writer maintained ties to Cleveland even though he lived in New York City.
“He actually led the very first capital campaign to get the theater built,” she said. “So, we hold ‘Black Nativity’ very close to our hearts. Even though every Black theater everywhere does ‘Black Nativity’ at holiday times, it was ours first.”
The show was first produced in Cleveland in the 1970s. Karamu brought its production to Playhouse Square in 2022 after Cleveland Play House had to cancel its own holiday show in the Allen Theatre. This year, CPH is back in the space, shifting “Black Nativity” to the Hanna Theatre. Domingue said the change in venue allows for a soft thrust stage as opposed to the standard proscenium setting.
“You have audience almost on three sides, but it's not completely up the side of the stage,” she said. “There's a platform and some stairs that come down… so, you'll get a little bit closer to the performers this year.”
Choreographer Errin Weaver co-directs this year with Karamu President Tony Sias. Returning as narrator is Christina Johnson, only the second woman to take on the role in Cleveland. Domingue said this year a chorus of female angels is part of the dance ensemble.
“It's all Christmas carols, so this music is all open domain,” she said. “It is up to the musical director which arrangements they use, so you will never see the same ‘Black Nativity’ in any two cities. It will be completely different.”
For example, Karamu’s 2019 version set the play in a modern city setting as opposed to Jerusalem.
“There was no manger: Mary had the baby near a dumpster,” she said. “It was really … ‘How does this story translate and offer hope in the midst of the things that we're dealing with now?’”
Whether such a concept returns in the future “will be dictated by where we are in the country,” Domingue said “The art responds to the times. The art should make something prickle in your psyche.”
