The Goodlucks

What I liked

Original, GREAT, UNIVERSALLY RELATABLE CONTENT (meaning, if you have a heart and brain in your body, YOU’LL UNDERSTAND).

Tanya Neely, lead role, Juanita, was spot-on; clearly articulated “nearly” all of her character actions as well as monologues / dialogue delivery brilliantly.

Jade Jackson as the daughter Bailey, also did a great job (i’d say she stole the show if her character mom wasn’t so great). She was very, comic-relief, entertaining. But, her monologues / dialogue seemed staggered and not fluid (maybe that was on purpose).

David Rogers, Tennis player George, provided great comedic relief as well, especially his last joke of the play (which may have been improv) and got a big laugh. If the joke was improv, keep that same joke, same timing.

What I didn't like

Tanya Neely in the beginning, her character is “sort of” having a panic attack and her niece tries to comfort her. Juanita was not going “big enough” in her nerves, that her niece needed to take action in response. This is where in auditions or on-stage, they say “GO BIG” and let the casting director / director bring you down to a level they see fit. I got that she was nervous, but not nervous enough as it seemed the script called for.

Brandon Davis as Bert, I did not believe him, UNTIL THE “BIG ANNOUNCEMENT” which happens mid-play; from then on, he was great, I believed his every intention from that point.;(whatever he did there, he needs to do it the moment before he first hits the stage). Handling dialogue, he swallowed many of his words from fast delivery and/or no elocution enunciation prep to relax jaw/mouth muscles for proper delivery of most (if not all) words of scripted lines.

David Rogers – George, he swallowed nearly “all” of his words and phrases in delivering dialogue.

Actors must realize, a large part of acting, particularly stage acting, is VOICE PROJECTION AND WORD ENUNCIATION. Do those enunciation exercises “Mah Nah Lah Thah Vah Zah, Pah Dah Gah Pee Dee Gee Poh Doh Go, Around the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran” etc. Or try reading Shakespeare out loud, enunciating each word properly wholly and fully, take note of words that give trouble pronouncing them or get swallowed like “to”, which you swallow or shorten to just the “t” sound without pushing out the “oo” at the end. (not to be confused between to and too, but that only matters in writing. 👀)

Wardrobe snafu: Pink dress opening back slit was still stitched together (a fashion NO NO) And, the hanger or shoulder strap was hanging out on the arm in the gold glitter dress.

My overall impression

A greatly written original script. These are the type of scripts NEEDED IN BLACK CULTURE, not the Jim Crow and/or old slave tales. But with that also, the script/play is universally relatable; change a few cultural references, throw in an all-white cast and it lands just as perfectly. (sort of like Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and Death Of A Salesman; TRANSCENDS RACE!)

DEFINITELY WORTH SEEING during Hollywood Fringe BEFORE IT BECOMES A NATIONAL THEATRE SENSATION! Get it while it’s NEW, CHEAP AND HOT, like the new young stripper in the club.

I’d definitely see it again, as it was real life, drama with excellent moments of perfectly landed jokes.