Theatricum Botanicum Presents Alice Childress Play ‘Wine in the Wilderness’

In 1964, as race riots blaze on the streets outside his Harlem home, a painter works feverishly to complete a work of art that will embody the essence of Black pride. Gerald C. Rivers directs Wine in the Wilderness, a potent examination of race, gender and class by celebrated playwright Alice Childress. Performances join the outdoor summer repertory “Season of Resilience” at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum beginning August 9 and continuing through October 12.

Theatricum favorite Max Lawrence stars as Bill Jameson, an artist who has already completed two panels of a triptych portraying his vision of Black womanhood. The first is the portrait of an angelic young girl, representative of Black female innocence. The second depicts Bill’s ideal Black woman: a noble African “queen” with natural hair bathed in sunlight. But the third panel is still blank because, as he explains to Oldtimer (Alex Morris), Bill has been unable to find the right inspiration for a truly “messed-up” Black chick. That is until Bill’s friends Cynthia (Sydney A. Mason) and Sonny-Man (Kameron J. Brown) introduce him to the perfect model: a woman they met at a bar after the riot burned her out of her home. As it turns out, Tomorrow “Tommy” Marie (LeShay Tomlinson Boyce) is not one to be bound by Bill’s misogynistic assumptions.

Childress play examines race, gender and class against backdrop of 1964 Harlem race riots

Wine in the Wilderness was written in 1968, at the height of the Black Power-spawned Black Arts Movement that called for the creation of poetry, novels, visual art and theater to reflect pride in Black history and culture as a means to awaken Black consciousness and achieve liberation.

“Harlem was experiencing a resurgence in the ’60s,” notes Rivers. “There was an explosion of art, culture and racial pride even as the rest of the country was torn apart by political turmoil and the Civil Rights Movement.” 

But Childress, known for her uncompromising politics and unflinching depictions of racism, classism and sexism, uses Wine in the Wilderness to expose the hypocrisy of the power and arts movements—movements that spouted slogans espousing racial pride while continuing to perpetuate negative stereotypes and class prejudice. 

Wine in the Wilderness was originally written for television, premiering as part of the WGBH series On Being Black in Boston, MA on March 4, 1969. It went on to air on TV stations across the country except for in Alabama, where it was banned because the subject matter was viewed as too controversial. In 1974, Childress’s play Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White was adapted and broadcast by ABC. It was similarly censored by Southern ABC affiliates because of its content.

A longtime company member, Rivers previously directed Theatricum’s critically acclaimed, world premiere production of Trouble the Water, an adaptation of Rebecca Dwight Bruff’s historical novel about Robert Smalls, the first African American hero of the Civil War. As an actor, he can currently be seen on the Theatricum stage as Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing and firebrand David Roberts in Strife. Meanwhile, Lawrence currently stars as Oberon in Theatricum’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream alongside Mason, who plays Hippolyta. Morris and Boyce, newcomers to Theatricum, appeared together in The Piano Lesson at A Noise Within, where Morris has also been seen in four other August Wilson productions and Boyce recently appeared in A Man of No Importance. Also new to Theatricum, Brown is the recipient of USC’s Jack Nicholson Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Acting for his performance in Alice Childress’ play Trouble in Mind.

Wine in the Wilderness features original paintings by Zach Bones. The costume designer is Beth Eslick, with lighting designed by Hayden Kirschbaum and sound by Lucas Fehring. Shoshanna Green is the prop master. Lena Ford serves as assistant director and dramaturg. The production stage manager is Lacey Szerlip, assisted by Alex Penner.

In repertory

Wine in the Wilderness will run in rotation every weekend with Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Strife and The Seagull: Malibu, each of which open earlier in the season. Unlike most theaters in the L.A. area that stage continuous runs of a single play, Theatricum will perform all five plays in repertory, making it possible, once they are all up and running, to see them all in a single weekend.

Schedules and ticketing

Wine in the Wilderness opens on Saturday, Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. and continues to run in repertory through October 12. For a complete schedule of performances visit the website. 

Tickets to performances range from $15 to $51. Premium seating is available for $64 ($60 cash at the door, subject to availability). The performances on Sunday, Aug. 24 and Monday, Sept. 29 are Pay-What-You-Will (available online the week of the performance or pay cash at the door); both Pay-What-You-Will performances also feature 30-minute Prologue (pre-show) discussions beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The amphitheater is terraced into the hillside, so audience members are advised to dress casually (warmly for evenings) and bring cushions for bench seating. Patrons are welcome to arrive early to picnic in the gardens before a performance. 

Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum

Theatricum’s beginnings can be traced to the early 1950s when Will Geer, a victim of the McCarthy era Hollywood blacklist (before he became known as the beloved Grandpa on The Waltons), opened a theater for blacklisted actors and folk singers on his property in Topanga. Friends such as Ford Rainey, Della Reese, Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie joined him on the dirt stage for vigorous performances and inspired grassroots activism, while the audiences sat on railroad ties. Today, two outdoor amphitheaters are situated in the natural canyon ravine, where audiences are able to relax and enjoy the wilderness during an afternoon or evening’s performance. Theatricum’s main stage amphitheater sports a new and improved sun shade for increased audience comfort, installed with support from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Ahmanson Foundation. Theatricum is the recipient of multiple awards, including the Margaret Harford Award for “sustained excellence,” which is the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle’s highest honor.

Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum is located at 1419 North Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Topanga, midway between Malibu and the San Fernando Valley. Topanga Canyon Blvd is now open between Pacific Coast Highway and the theater between 5 a.m. and midnight daily, making Theatricum accessible from PCH as well as from the Valley during performance times. However, due to construction, there may be additional traffic en route to the theater. Please check your preferred GPS system prior to traveling. For the most up-to-date road information, go to tcep.org/emergencystatus. To access Theatricum from the Valley, exit the 101 at Topanga Canyon Blvd. South. 

*Special Thanks to Lucy Pollak Public Relations