By MAC HOOVER

August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the third August Wilson play in Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company’s American Century Cycle Experience, is set in a 1927 Chicago recording studio where the “Mother of the Blues” battles for control of her art while her band wrestles with ambition, regret, and survival.

Ashley Renee Southers, in her directorial debut, captures Wilson’s layered examination of exploitation, race, and creative power. The Quartet of musicians—Charles Timbers (Cutler), Dave Minnifield (Toledo), Rich Dickson (Slow Drag), and Dionysius Akeem (Levee)—forms the play’s backbone. Each actor contributes nuance, but Akeem’s fiery, restless Levee dominates, his bravado masking wounds that erupt with tragic force. Minnifield’s Toledo grounds the ensemble with weary wisdom.

As Ma Rainey, Willa Catherine “Katy” Cotten is a force. Her commanding presence and powerful voice remind us why Ma could bend both men and managers to her will. Bianca Dixon (Dussie Mae) and Matt Southers Jr. (Sylvester) provide solid support. At the same time, Chris Olshefski lends Irvin, Ma’s manager, a rare flicker of humanity among otherwise exploitative white characters.

The intimate new Cabaret space at Pittsburgh Playwrights’ Madison Arts Center is used effectively with a sparse set that underscores the precarious world of musicians who rarely own their art. One caveat: an overused, squeaky bench proved more distracting than symbolic.

Wilson’s script reveals the characters’ painful histories without sentimentality. The most devastating moment comes in Levee’s breakdown, when his past trauma and dashed dreams collide in violence. The ensemble meets the challenge with conviction, Alkims performance leaves the audience shaken and moved.

Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company’s production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a raw and resonant interpretation of Wilson’s work. This production serves as a powerful reminder of why Wilson’s voice, and the issues he addresses, remain as relevant and indispensable today as they were when the play was first produced.

TICKETS AND DETAILS

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom runs through August 24 at Madison Arts Center. Tickets: https://www.pghplaywrights.org/season-info/ma-raineys-black-bottom-2025/rainey-tickets. On-street parking is available adjacent to the nearby park.

Categories: Reviews

Tags: Ashley Southers, Bianca Dixon, Charles Timbers, Chris Olshefski, Dave Minnifield, Dionysius Akeem, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Mark Clayton Southers, Matt Southers Jr, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater Company, Willa Cotten