Amber Iman, Austin Scott, Nick Rashad Burroughs and more join GODDESS at the Public Theatre - Spring 2025- Page 2

[OharaFosseWolfe888]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 7:03pm

bear88 said: "The timing doesn’t bode well. I wasn’t a big fan of Jocelyn Bioh’s book for Goddess, at least in the Berkeley Rep incarnation, even though I have loved her other work.

I’m looking forward to seeingFat Hamin San Francisco.

But this suggests there were unresolved disagreements about the book, and now some sort of mad scramble to fix it. I suppose situations like this can work out, but how often do they?"

I love Jocelyn and James, both dearly. I am sad that she has to depart, but thrilled that James is added. He's legit a genius. Whoever called him lazy and whatever else above, chiiiileeee, yt playwrights do far less and lauded. The man is a genius with the "pen". I am grateful that no matter what the creative differences are behind the scenes with Saheem, Jocelyn, and James these incredible Black artists are not slinging any kind of mud in the press and moving in service of the art which is most important. It's a nice example if you ask me. 

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 8:12pm

OharaFosseWolfe888 said: "bear88 said: "The timing doesn’t bode well. I wasn’t a big fan of Jocelyn Bioh’s book for Goddess, at least in the Berkeley Rep incarnation, even though I have loved her other work.

I’m looking forward to seeingFat Hamin San Francisco.

But this suggests there were unresolved disagreements about the book, and now some sort of mad scramble to fix it. I suppose situations like this can work out, but how often do they?"

I love Jocelyn and James, both dearly. I am sad that she has to depart, but thrilled that James is added. He's legit a genius. Whoever called him lazy and whatever else above, chiiiileeee, yt playwrights do far less and lauded. The man is a genius with the "pen". I am grateful that no matter what the creative differences are behind the scenes with Saheem, Jocelyn, and James these incredible Black artists are not slinging any kind of mud in the press and moving in service of the art which is most important. It's a nice example if you ask me."

CoffeeBreak has a reputation of racist undertones on this board when it comes to their opinions of work by POC, so their “lazy” comment doesn’t surprise me. 

The show being called Goddess with no Black woman on the main creative team is a little concerning, but I can’t wait to see what they cook up. 

 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 9:09pm

Incorrect.  Black women should support other black women.  I am doing just that in support of Bioh.  There are plenty of excellent black female playwrights (Morriseau etc etc) that could have filled this void.   
 
Ensemble has a reputation for name calling and painting "tones" on people. We enjoy Bioh’s work and very much loved Ja Ja and did not think as much of the Hamlet adaptation. The filmed production that won the Pulitzer better than the Public stage version.  

It’s an opinion and disappointed the black female on the team has had to leave. Representation matters there is no need fo try and name call to get a differing point across. 
 

excitef to see what’s next for Bioh and only hope the best for Goddess, which we will see in support of our friends in the cast. 

Updated On: 5/4/25 at 09:09 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 9:26pm

Bioh's departure at this late stage is definitely disconcerting. I think she's demonstrated her brilliance many times over and for a show like Goddess, losing the sole creative who is a woman of African heritage is definitely a red flag, however civil these press releases are.

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 10:11pm

CoffeeBreak said: "Incorrect. Black women should support other black women. I am doing just that in support of Bioh. There are plenty of excellent black female playwrights (Morriseau etc etc) that could have filled this void.

Ensemble has a reputation for name calling.
We enjoy Bioh’s work and very much loved Ja Ja and did not think the hamlet adaptation was great. That’s okay.

It’s an opinion and disappointed the black female on the team has had to leave. Representation matters there is no need fo try and name call to get a differing point across.


excitef to see what’s next for Bioh and only hope the best for Goddess, which we will see in support of our friends in the cast."

You love to play victim when you are the first to name call. You called James “lazy”. Those are your words. Don’t try and back peddle now. You can uplift a Black woman without tearing other Black writers down - which is your forte on this board. I know it hurts to be held accountable, but maybe be a bit more mindful, perhaps demure and the convo wont get to this point. 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 10:19pm

Please stop trollin.  No one is backpedaling. We enjoy Bioh's work and are disappointed in choices made to not hire another black female (Ali has collaborated.with lJames so there is comfort there).  lJames isn't our cup of tea.  Art is subjective, it's okay.  No need to belittle to elevate your opinion or try to hold anyone accountable. Hilarious.  And your desire to degrade another woman of color is off-putting. I can only assume projection here. 

No one is playing victim. There is no victim to play.  This board doesn't need arguments.  Please stop.  

 

Updated On: 3/13/25 at 10:19 PM

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 10:21pm

On a more positive note, for those who saw previous production(s) - is it primarily in one location or on one large set ?  It looks this way from the photographs.  It's giving great vibe.

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 11:18pm

CoffeeBreak said: "Please stop trollin. No one is backpedaling.We enjoy Bioh's work and are disappointed in choices made to not hire another black female (Ali has collaborated.with lJames so there is comfort there). lJames isn't our cup of tea. Art is subjective, it's okay. No need to belittleto elevate your opinion or try to hold anyone accountable. Hilarious. And your desire to degrade another woman of color is off-putting. I can only assume projection here.

No one is playing victim. There is no victim to play. This board doesn't need arguments.Please stop.

You like to gaslight and deflect. Again, you can say he’s not your cup of tea without calling him lazy. Do better. You’re the troll. Nice try. And I will continue to call you out on this behavior. Not sorry about it. We won’t get into it when you are more tasteful with your words around ALL black artists. Got it yet? Or you gonna try and wiggle another deflection and excuse? 

 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 11:22pm

Do better?  You must be kidding.  No one is deflecting.  Nothing to excuse.  I feel comfortable commenting on anything in my cultural and ethnic space.  I will protect my ladies when a boys club could exist..  That may or may not apply in this situation.  But I support Ms. Bioh.  Sorry you feel the need to police my opinion and support.

I've got our tickets to see Amber and this company and only wish the show the best.

Updated On: 3/13/25 at 11:22 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 11:47pm

Never a good sign, whether it's creative differences with the material or interpersonal differences.

But this is Saheem Ali's baby. He brought this idea to the team. And sometimes that's a tricky role to play when you're not actually a writer. Not every director can play the Hal Prince role.

It's also possible that this was not a recent development and it's only being announced now. At least they made an announcement, unlike whatever that Brian Yorkey situation was for The Visitor.

Wish there was even one theatre reporter at a reputable publication nowadays doing the kind of digging that Variety and the Hollywood Reporter and Deadline do for film/tv.

Updated On: 3/13/25 at 11:47 PM

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/13/25 at 11:55pm

Yes.  Ali's baby and a good fit considering his personal background. He turned quickly to a comfort collaboration place with James.  It's still hard to hear a woman replaced.

Updated On: 3/14/25 at 11:55 PM

[inception]

Posted: 3/14/25 at 12:01am

Ali worked closely with Ijames on Fat Ham, so makes sense if he turned to him to take a look at the piece after it's run in Berkeley.   Reading bear88's comments above on that production shows that it still needed work. 

Hopefully it is for the good of the piece that they continued to work on it. 

Compare that to something like Redwood - I was so surprised when I read the previews thread, that in the year since it had played La Jolla it sounded like they had made zero changes and it still had all the problems I found in it when I saw it there. 

Updated On: 3/14/25 at 12:01 AM

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 3/14/25 at 12:24am

CoffeeBreak said: "Do better? You must be kidding. No one is deflecting. Nothing to excuse. I feel comfortable commenting on anything in my cultural and ethnic space. I will protect my ladies when a boys club could exist.. That may or may not apply in this situation. But I support Ms. Bioh. Sorry you feel the need to police my opinion and support

I've got our tickets to seeAmber and this company and onlywish the show the best."

Still not acknowledging your usage of “lazy” I see. Don’t fool yourself into believing that just bc you are a POC doesn’t mean you can’t carry out white supremacist tendencies. No one is policing your opinion or support for Bioh. You were called out for your poor choice of language around another Black writer. That’s the accountability here. 

 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/14/25 at 12:32am

What terrible thing to say and insinuate.  You win with the unkind and consistently hateful words.  I'm not here to fight with anyone nor the names you try to paint people, including myself.  find another target please, it's tired.  thank you.  

 

Updated On: 3/14/25 at 12:32 AM

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 3/14/25 at 12:57am

CoffeeBreak said: "What terrible thing to say and insinuate. You win with theunkind and consistently hatefulwords. I'm not here to fight with anyone nor the names you try to paint people, including myself. find another target please, it's tired. thank you.

I’ve given you three chances to acknowledge how we got here and you still choose to play victim. You’ve made yourself the target. It’s tiring when folks like you say careless things and don’t take  ownership. Calling a writer you don’t know “lazy” is also unkind. So….

 

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 3/14/25 at 1:03am

side eye and moves on.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/15/25 at 11:19pm

I just noted that Saheem Ali has been added as bookwriter, and Jocelyn Bioh's name has been scrubbed.

We knew Bioh was stepping back from active involvement and James Ijames was taking over, but the credit is a different matter, and it was not announced that Saheem would be taking a writing credit.

https://publictheater.org/productions/season/2425/goddess/

Music and Lyrics by Michael Thurber 
Book by Saheem Ali  
Additional Book Material by James Ijames 
Choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie 
Directed by Saheem Ali

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 4/15/25 at 11:35pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I just noted that Saheem Ali has been added as bookwriter, and Jocelyn Bioh's name has been scrubbed.

We knew Bioh was stepping back from activeinvolvement and James Ijameswas taking over, but the credit is a different matter, and it was not announced that Saheem would be taking a writing credit.

https://publictheater.org/productions/season/2425/goddess/

Music andLyrics byMichael Thurber
Book bySaheem Ali
AdditionalBookMaterial byJames Ijames
Choreography byDarrell Grand Moultrie
Directed bySaheem Ali"

Well, yeah. It may have been at her insisting -- since she was leaving, no longer actively shaping the book -- and therefore her work -- she may have requested that it was no longer in her name (she may not want to be associated with the end product, whether for better or worse.) Certainly not the norm, but without knowing more, it could go either way in what it means -- her choice or others.

Updated On: 4/15/25 at 11:35 PM

[Melissa25]

Posted: 5/6/25 at 2:50pm

Has anyone seen this yet? Please share your thoughts.

[Dan6]

Posted: 5/8/25 at 11:25am

My wife and I were at the third preview last Thursday, and we were both underwhelmed. On the plus side, all of the performances were strong, there's some great puppetry, and the choreography of the ensemble African Jazz numbers was energetic and fun.  But the book (now credited to Saheem Ali, with additional material by James Ijames) is a disjointed mess, and isn't aided by the staging; it's never clear why Marimba is on Earth (was she exiled? did she escape after being imprisoned by her mother?), and the audience was left befuddled at intermission trying to figure out what happened at the end of Act One.  Too many of the songs sound alike (at least on a first listen); as wonderful as Imam's voice is, there were way too many numbers where she or another character planted themself downstage to sing a solo to the audience explaining exactly what they were feeling.  And the use throughout of what could have been the three Fates on loan from Hadestown felt derivative and stale.  There are maybe the bones of something that could work here, but only if they throw out the book (again) and start over.  After finishing a 20-show trip, this is among the few that stand out least in my memory. 

Updated On: 5/8/25 at 11:25 AM

[bear88]

Posted: 5/9/25 at 3:52am

Dan6 said: "My wife and I were at the third preview last Thursday, and we were bothunderwhelmed. On the plus side, all of the performances were strong, there's some great puppetry, and the choreography of the ensemble African Jazz numbers wasenergetic and fun. But the book (now credited to Saheem Ali, with additional material by James Ijames) is a disjointed mess, and isn't aided by the staging; it's never clear why Marimba is on Earth (was she exiled? did she escape after being imprisoned by her mother?), and the audience was left befuddled at intermission trying to figure out what happened at the end of Act One. Too many of the songs sound alike (at least on a first listen); as wonderful as Imam's voice is, there were way too many numbers where she or another character planted themself downstage to sing a solo to the audience explaining exactly what they were feeling. And the use throughout of what could have been the three Fates on loan from Hadestown felt derivative and stale. There are maybethe bones of something that could work here, but only if they throw out the book (again) and start over.After finishing a 20-show trip, this is among the few that standout least in my memory."

This is disheartening. It sounds like they kept the underwhelming stuff and made it less clear than Jocelyn Bioh’s Berkeley Rep version - which at least established why Nadira (Amber Iman’s character) is on Earth. She’s looking for love! That’s not clear?

I have retained a soft spot for Goddess because Iman was great and should be a star, and the parts of the Berkeley Rep version of the show that worked really worked. The first 10 minutes or so - big opening number, then Iman’s ‘Honey Sweet’ - was musical theater bliss. 

 

[Dan6]

Posted: 5/9/25 at 2:56pm

This is disheartening. It sounds like they kept the underwhelming stuff and made it less clear than Jocelyn Bioh’s Berkeley Rep version - which at least established why Nadira (Amber Iman’s character) is on Earth. She’s looking for love! That’s not clear?

I have retained a soft spot forGoddessbecause Iman was great and should be a star, and the parts of the Berkeley Rep version of the show that worked really worked. The first 10 minutes or so - big opening number, then Iman’s ‘Honey Sweet’ - was musical theater bliss.

I got that she was looking for love...but how she ended up on Earth after being imprisoned by Watamaraka wasn't clear, at least to me (but I might have missed something, since there were long stretches when I was pretty bored).  And I do agree that the opening was excellent and gave me high hopes for the show.  I should also single out Ayana George Jackson, who gave a beautiful and emotional rendition of my favorite song in the score, "Baobab Roots."  It was one of the few songs that was integrated into a scene and sung by one character to another as opposed to those too many "hit your mark and sing out" solos.

 

[Ensemble1698878795]

Posted: 5/10/25 at 12:24am

Dan6 said: "This is disheartening. It sounds like they kept the underwhelming stuff and made it less clear than Jocelyn Bioh’s Berkeley Rep version - which at least established why Nadira (Amber Iman’s character) is on Earth. She’s looking for love! That’s not clear?

I have retained a soft spot forGoddessbecause Iman was great and should be a star, and the parts of the Berkeley Rep version of the show that worked really worked. The first 10 minutes or so - big opening number, then Iman’s ‘Honey Sweet’ - was musical theater bliss.

I got that she was looking for love...but how she ended up on Earth after being imprisoned by Watamaraka wasn't clear, at least to me (but I might have missed something, since there were long stretches when I was pretty bored). And I do agree that the opening was excellent and gave me high hopes for the show. I should also single out Ayana George Jackson, who gave a beautiful and emotional rendition of my favorite song in the score, "Baobab Roots." It was one of the few songs that was integrated into a scene and sung by one character to another as opposed to those too many "hit your mark and sing out" solos.

 

Very talented cast. Killer music and performances. Dancing is amazing. Story is very muddy and could use clarity. They have work to do if they want to transfer this. 

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/14/25 at 10:44pm

I wish this musical was as good as Amber Iman is. I didn’t hate it but yes, the music comes in two styles - Iman’s songs (while sung beautifully, do all sound the same) and the group numbers all have a sense that they’re the same, as well. It all got extremely repetitive by act two. I also kept thinking why didn’t they just revive “Once On This Island” because I got such strong hints of that show all throughout this. 

Anyways, I’m glad Iman is getting to do new work I just wish people would write better musicals for her to be in.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/14/25 at 11:30pm

I was pretty taken with this. It’s just doing way too much and the book lacks focus, which it may never have. It almost resembles a Disney movie with its whimsical construct and I could see the production value being beefed up if it makes it to Broadway. The political plot line feels so out of place.

Iman is great and I remember enjoying the score and its varied styles but it evaporated from my brain right after.

Yes, it’s a lot like Hadestown and Once On This Island (and it shares a lead producer of Hadestown). Will it find an audience on Broadway? Probably not, but I would have said the same of Hadestown at NYTW.

Updated On: 5/14/25 at 11:30 PM