by Michele Markarian
“Queens Girl in the World” – Written by Caleen Sinnette Jennings. Directed by Dawn M. Simmons. Co-produced by The Nora@Central Square Theater, The Front Porch Arts Collective, and The Hangar Theater, 450 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, through October 31.
Jacqueline Marie Butler (Jasmine M. Rush) is a black girl living in Queens, the overprotected daughter of middle-class parents, a doctor from the Caribbean and his elegant wife, Grace. Her friend Persephone – “I hate Persephone Wilson when she’s not my best friend” – lives next door. Jacqueline Marie’s proper mother dispenses such as advice as “Once a lady lays down in the gutter, she can never be a lady again.” Once Jacqueline Marie is discovered in the company of Earl Waddlington, a boy she meets inadvertently through Persephone, Grace decides that Jacqueline Marie needs to associate with a different class of people. Instead of going to her local PS, Jacqueline finds herself taking the train into Manhattan’s Greenwich Village to attend the primarily Jewish Irwin School, where she is one of three black students. Nonetheless, she finds friendship, love, and care from the students and faculty there, even though, as she says, “I’m always afraid. Afraid of being the wrong me in the wrong place.” Manhattan Jacqueline is very different from Queens Jacqueline.
It’s a fascinating play, set against the early 1960s, with a Motown soundtrack to boot. Jennings adroitly tackles sexuality, race, abuse, and class through the voice of her narrator, who begins the ninety-minute piece at the age of twelve and ends it at fifteen. Despite the heaviness of the subject matter – the death of Malcolm X is particularly emotional, as he was a friend of Jacqueline’s family and a guest at their home – there are some excruciatingly funny moments. A description of a sleepover at classmate Karen Rueben’s home is the best belly laugh I’ve had since the pandemic. It’s rare that a play can give you such comic joy and emotional depth in such a short span of time.
All of this must be chalked up to Rush, expressively directed by Simmons, who is a remarkable performer of incredible range. She not only moves from adolescent to teenager, but plays a multitude of characters with uncanny credibility and clarity. From the brash Persephone to the awkward Earl to the concerned elderly Jewish teacher, Rush brings them to life. She also demonstrates a powerful singing voice that seems to come from the depths of her being.
It’s also a timely piece about a country in crisis. The death of Malcolm X is enough to push Jacqueline’s father over the edge – he is sick of the country and wants to practice medicine in a place where it matters. He decides to move his small family to Nigeria. When Jacqueline, a teenager trying to create a whole person out of different experiences, asks us, “Where will I find my place in the world?” our hearts are crying with her.
About three-quarters of the way through the piece, I thought to myself, “I don’t want this to end.” The story is so interesting and unusual; it’s semi-autobiographical from playwright Jennings, who wrote a follow up play, “Queens Girl in Africa.” I would love to know what happens next to Jacqueline Marie Butler, and expect that audience members of Queens Girl in the World will want to know, too. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.centralsquaretheater.org
