Gem of the Ocean at A Noise Within

Gem of the Ocean

A Noise Within
3352 E Foothill Blvd Pasadena

Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson unfolds the African American legacy in the first chronological episode of his celebrated American Century Cycle—a soaring, mystical tale of a man desperate for redemption in 1904 Pittsburgh. Aunt Ester, a 285-year-old "soul cleanser," sends him on a spiritual journey that dissects the nature of freedom amidst oppression and spurs him to take up the mantle of justice.

Thru - Nov 16, 2019

Price: $39-$69

Show Type: Drama

Box Office: 626-356-3100

www.anoisewithin.org

A Noise Within Seating Chart

Gem of the Ocean Reviews

Average Rating based on 6 reviews

Highly Recommended
Recommended
Somewhat Recommended
Not Recommended

Los Angeles Times - Highly Recommended

"...In a staging that is alternately leisurely, suspenseful, funny and poignant, Daniel doesn't miss a beat of the possibilities in Wilson's text. The production is is clarifying, terrifying and cathartic."

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- F. Kathleen Foley

Stage Scene LA - Somewhat Recommended

"...There is much to rave about in A Noise Within's big-stage revival of August Wilson's Gem Of The Ocean, not however its nearly three-hour running time and one particularly over-the-top performance."

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- Steven Stanley

Cultural Weekly - Highly Recommended

"...The casting of Gem is astute, as are the rest of the creative decisions. These include Stephanie Kerley Schwartz's uncluttered scenic design, Tessier's complementary lighting and, notably, Angela Balogh Calin's variety of period costumes with a signature patchwork-quilt dress for Aunt Ester that puts her history in perspective. All of which makes the telling and the showing swift, effective and hard to leave behind."

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- Sylvie Drake

Stage Raw - Highly Recommended

"...All told there are seven characters, including white peddler Rutherford (Bert Emmett), an empathetic friend whose help proves crucial when Solly must flee to escape Caesar's wrath. Each one is beautifully honed. Gently hobbled with age, Jones's Ester is a venerable figure of wise humility and extraordinary vision who can also be tetchy and demanding. Ratteray's Black Mary, a salt-of-the-earth woman of great compassion, and Morris's trustworthy loyal Eli are the likable, endearing pillars of her household. Gault's measured villain is perfect, a portrait in cruel restraint - believable enough to thoroughly despise, yet complex enough for us to perceive, in rare moments, his vulnerable self. As Solly, a veritable geyser of language and strong emotion, Jackson's powerful performance propels the production to incandescent heights."

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- Deborah Klugman

Colorado Boulevard - Highly Recommended

"...Director Gregg T. Daniel and Choreographer Joyce Guy take full advantage of the thrust stage, pushing Citizen's journey of the mind into the audience, using the fly spaces like one of last season's "Argonautika" battle action sequences. It's a thrilling, heady mix of light (Jean-Yves Tessier) and sound (Martin Carrillo) design that pushes the 'solid house' sets (Stephanie Kerley Schwartz) around like toy blocks. Truly it's a spectacle that only theater can provide. These characters don't allow their minds or spirits to be caged, and the production invites us into their inner worlds as few do."

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- Melanie Hooks

The Fume of Sighs - Highly Recommended

"...GEM OF THE OCEAN combines spiritual and supernatural elements with historical events, allowing you to picture both the reality of the African American community in the early 1900s, as well as the beliefs and the cultures that strengthened them. And it tells you the story with the right amounts of humor and intensity needed to keep you enthralled throughout."

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- Dena Burroughs

Gem of the Ocean Photo Gallery

Gem of the Ocean at A Noise Within

Gem of the Ocean

Gem of the Ocean Reviews

Los Angeles Times - Highly Recommended

Stage Scene LA - Somewhat Recommended

Cultural Weekly - Highly Recommended

Stage Raw - Highly Recommended

Colorado Boulevard - Highly Recommended

The Fume of Sighs - Highly Recommended

Gem of the Ocean Photo Gallery

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