B.A.D. (Black and Defiant) by Stephan Collins-Stephany portrays stories of five Black Americans who fought the prejudice of their time and gained widespread recognition. It is intriguing to watch Collins-Stephany assume the characters he plays.
With a few simple props and costumes the actor undergoes a transformation as we watch.
I liked best his portrayals of Bill Pickett, the pioneering cowboy who invented the sport of bulldogging and became an international rodeo star,
and swaggering, defiant boxer Jack Johnson.
The show is at its strongest when Collins-Stephany's characters speak directly to us. It slows a little when he fills in biographical data such as dates of birth and death -- although the youths in the audience who were taking notes undoubtedly benefited. Besides the characters themselves, we get to see a great collection of vintage photographs and listen to contemporary audio recordings. Would that history classes could be so enjoyable.
The great comedian W. C. Fields referred to one of his contemporaries as the funniest man he ever saw and the saddest man he ever knew. Go to B.A.D. and discover who that man was.
B.A.D. is playing at the DC Arts Center on 18th Street N.W. It's up and down stairs, but air conditioned effectively. There will be four more perf0rmances; see the festival guide for details. For more photos of B.A.D., click here.
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