Penumbra Theatre musical "Paradise Blue" aiming to stir up meaningful conversations
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Musical drama "Paradise Blue" is set to open this month at the Penumbra Theatre.
The play centers around a club, home to a makeshift family of musicians.
"It's about enduring love, strength, the capacity to go on," actor Lester Purry said.
Purry, a longtime Penunbra actor, plays the character Corn in the musical.
"I would describe him as a romantic," Purry said.
The show centers on a Black community fighting for its future and a jazz club owner facing a difficult decision whether to sell his property.
Purry says given the political climate, the show is a "bit revolutionary."
"But the play, as a whole, is about the women," Purry said. "The Black woman has been and still is the strength and backbone of our community."
Women like his co-star, Nubia Monks, who plays the character Pumpkin.
"She comes across this other woman who is polar opposite to her and her journey takes a turn," Monks said.
The show explores themes of gentrification, the complexity of community and more.
"It's sad to me that plays like this are still so timely and relevant," Monks said.
Monks says theatre acts like a mirror — and she hopes "Paradise Blue" stirs up meaningful conversations.
"Theatre is contagious, it's infectious," she said. "We get to get up here and make you feel something. We get to get up here and make you feel things you may avoid, or that you suppress, or didn't know you had the capacity to feel. We get to allow you to see yourself and then we say go home and do something about it. Go to your communities and do something about it."
"Paradise Blue" opens on Feb. 13 and closes on March 9. The theatre will also host post-play discussions on Feb. 20, 27 and March 6.
Click here for tickets.
