What the Gifted Owe

Famed Black social reformer W.E.B. DuBois posited that the most gifted one in ten Black men–the talented tenth–should take responsibility for leading the African American community out of its centurys-long repression. Indeed, such best educated and most talented individuals owe it to their people to devote a significant component of their lives to selfless community-building public service.

Richard Wesley’s “The Talented Tenth”–now playing at the Robey Theatre in the Los Angeles Theatre Center–explores DuBois’s concept, by following the life of Bernard Evans (Nic Few), a hard-charging Black radio executive and several fellow Howard University grads who have quickly made their way in the world.

Bernard is living the American Dream, with a beautiful, talented wife Pam (Tiffany Coty), their four lovely children, good friends (Stirling Breadly, Julio Hansen, Monte Escalante), a big house in a nice part of town–and even a young hot number for a mistress (Jessica Obilon). What could go wrong?

Well, plenty, else why have a play?

For one thing, Sam Griggs (Ben Gillory, who also directs the play), the old-line entrepreneur who hired Bernard fresh out of college, is considering selling his chain of radio stations–to a white-owned conglomerate, no less–which would trim Bernard’s sales considerably, surely scotching his plans for expanded service to the Black community.

For another, that hot young mistress has big plans, too, and wants Bernard for her own–and his shocked wife isn’t about to give up her husband without a fight.

Then, too, there is Bernard’s old flame lurking in the back of his mind–a dark-skinned African woman who passed away years ago. It’s no accident that the mistress is much darker than his light-skinned wife.

“Tenth” is told in a long series of vignettes, with blackouts separating scenes at Bernard’s home, his office, the golf course, his mistress’s apartment, and a sauna. The acting is superior all around, the staging clever indeed, and the story straightforward. At times, the many blackouts deaden the action a bit.

“The Talented Tenth” plays at the Robey Theatre Company at Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 So. Spring St., Los Angeles, through December 10th, with show times Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. For tickets go here.