Trouble in Mind (play)

Trouble in Mind is a play by Alice Childress, which debuted Off-Broadway at the Greenwich Mews Theatre in 1955.[1] It premiered on Broadway at Roundabout Theatre Company's American Airlines Theatre on November 18, 2021.[2] The play focuses on racism and sexism in American theatre. It was published in the anthologies Black Theater: a 20th Century Collection of the Work of its Best Playwrights (Dodd, Mead & Co. 1971), the second edition of Black Drama in America: an Anthology (Howard University Press, 1994), Plays by American Women: 1930-1960 (Applause Books, 2001), and Alice Childress: Selected Plays (Northwestern University Press, 2011).[3][4][5][6] It was first published on its own by Theatre Communications Group in 2022.[7]

Trouble in Mind
Written byAlice Childress
Characters
  • Wiletta Mayer
  • Al Manners
  • John Nevins
  • Millie Davis
  • Sheldon Forrester
  • Judith (Judy) Sears
  • Bill O’Wray
  • Eddie Fenton
  • Henry
Date premieredNovember 3, 1955
Place premieredGreenwich Mews Theatre

Productions

Original 1955 Off-Broadway

The original Off-Broadway production was produced by Stella Holt, sponsored by the Village Presbyterian Church and the Brotherhood Synagogue. Childress co-directed, alongside Clarice Taylor, who also starred as Willetta. Hal England was featured in the supporting role of Eddie. The sets and lighting were designed by Vincent Sorrentino. The production opened on November 3, 1955, and ran for 91 performances.[1][8] In 1957, a Broadway transfer had been planned, renamed So Early Monday Morning.[9] The production was cancelled as Childress refused to subdue its content.[10]

1992 British premiere

The play made its British premiere at the Tricycle Theatre in London on October 8, 1992, directed by Nicolas Kent. Carmen Munroe starred as Wiletta with Maurice Roëves as Al. The production ended on November 14.[11]

2017 London

Following a run at Theatre Royal Bath's Ustinov Theatre, a new production opened in London at the Coronet Theatre from September 14 to October 14, 2017, directed by Laurence Boswell. It starred Tanya Moodie and Jonathan Slinger.[12][13]

2021 Broadway premiere

Trouble in Mind finally made its Broadway debut on November 18, 2021, at the American Airlines Theatre. It was directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and featured sets designed by Arnulfo Maldonado, costumes designed by Emilio Sosa, lighting designed by Kathy A. Perkins, sound design by Dan Moses Schreier, original music by Nona Hendryx, and hair and wigs designed by Cookie Jordan. The production starred LaChanze as Wiletta, Michael Zegen as Al, Chuck Cooper as Sheldon, Danielle Campbell as Judy, Brandon Micheal Hall as John, Jessica Frances Dukes as Millie, Don Stephenson as Bill, Simon Jones as Henry, and Alex Mickiewicz as Eddie.[14] The limited run closed on January 9, 2022, after 58 performances and 20 previews. The production was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Play, Best Actress in a Play (LaChanze), Best Featured Actor in a Play (Chuck Cooper), and Best Costume Design in a Play (Emilio Sosa).

2021 London

Less than a month after the opening of the Broadway production, the National Theatre in London opened a production at its Dorfman Theatre on December 10, 2021. Moodie reprised her role from the 2017 production. This production was directed by Nancy Medina and starred (along with Moodie) Cyril Nri, Rory Keenan, Naana Agyei-Ampadu, John Hollingworth, Emma Canning, and Daniel Adeosun.[15][16]

Other productions

Other productions of Trouble in Mind have included:

Awards and honors

2021 Broadway
Year Award Category Nominee Result
2022 Tony Awards Best Revival of a Play Nominated
Best Actress in a Play LaChanze Nominated
Best Featured Actor in a Play Chuck Cooper Nominated
Best Costume Design in a Play Emilio Sosa Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival of a Play Nominated
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Chuck Cooper Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Revival of a Play Nominated
Outstanding Actress in a Play LaChanze Won
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Chuck Cooper Nominated
Outstanding Costume Design Emilio Sosa Nominated
Drama League Awards Outstanding Revival of a Play Nominated
Distinguished Performance Award LaChanze Nominated

References
  1. "Trouble In Mind". www.iobdb.com. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  2. "Trouble in Mind (Broadway, American Airlines Theatre, 2021)". Playbill. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  3. Patterson, Lindsay (1971). Black theater; a 20th century collection of the work of its best playwrights. Internet Archive. New York, Dodd, Mead. ISBN 978-0-396-06254-7.
  4. Barlow, Judith E. (2001). Plays by American women, 1930-1960. Internet Archive. New York : Applause. ISBN 978-1-55783-446-1.
  5. Turner, Darwin T., ed. (1994). Black drama in America: an anthology (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C: Howard University Press. ISBN 978-0-88258-062-3.
  6. Childress, Alice; Perkins, Kathy A. (2011). Selected plays. Evanston, Ill: Northwestern University Press. ISBN 978-0-8101-2751-7. OCLC 672300093.
  7. Childress, Alice (2022). Trouble in Mind. Consortium Book Sales & Dist. ISBN 978-1-63670-015-1.
  8. "The Village Presbyterian Church Helps Gives Birth to an Off-Broadway Spanish Revolution". Village Preservation. 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  9. Zolotow, Sam (1957-02-08). "'Trouble in Mind' Will Be Reviewed; '56 Off-Broadway Comedy to Move Uptown--Renamed 'So Early Monday Morning' Talks on Alien Dispute Theatre Chosen for Musical". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  10. Phillips, Maya (2021-11-03). "Alice Childress Finally Gets to Make 'Trouble' on Broadway". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  11. "Black and white in colour: Paul Taylor on the English". The Independent. 1992-10-13. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  12. Gillinson, Miriam. "Trouble In Mind review". Time Out London. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  13. "Trouble in Mind". The Coronet Theatre. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  14. "Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  15. "Trouble in Mind (Closed January 29, 2022)". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  16. "Trouble in Mind". National Theatre. 2021-09-16. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  17. "Alice Childress's Trouble in Mind in the Archives". The New York Public Library. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  18. Fraser, C. Gerald (1987-02-16). "Going Out Guide". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  19. Bruckner, D. J. R. (1998-04-15). "A Rage Behind the Laughter". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  20. "'Trouble in Mind' at Yale". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  21. Hurwitt, Robert (2010-08-28). "Theater review: 'Trouble in Mind'". SFGATE. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  22. Marks, Peter (2011-09-20). "Arena Stage's 'Trouble in Mind': Character-rich and well-acted play about race". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  23. "'Trouble in Mind': A timely look at prejudice, principle". The Seattle Times. 2013-07-25. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  24. "Trouble in Mind". Two River Theater. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  25. "PlayMakers presents 'Trouble in Mind' starting Jan. 21 | PlayMakers Repertory Company". playmakersrep.org. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  26. "Trouble in Mind (2019) by Yale Repertory Theatre - Issuu". issuu.com. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  27. Nestruck, J. Kelly (2021-08-27). "Review: Trouble in Mind arrives in Canada disgracefully late in a perfectly pitched production at the Shaw Festival". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  28. Sullivan, Katie (November 14, 2022). "TimeLine's scorching 'Trouble in Mind' takes on backstage indignities with wry wit". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2023-02-27. (Review)
  29. Sullivan, Katie (November 14, 2022). "TimeLine's scorching 'Trouble in Mind' takes on backstage indignities with wry wit". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2023-02-27. (Review)
  30. "John Hirsch Mainstage – Trouble in Mind". Royal Manitoba Theatre. March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  31. "Trouble in Mind". Hartford Stage. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
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