Diandra Reviews It All

SYNOPSIS: All aboard for a Western musical adventure the likes of which you’ve never experienced. As a wanted woman of mythic proportions looks to begin life anew out west, Bella takes us on the trip of a lifetime to escape her death warrant for he life brought on by the sniveling Bonny Johnny and bounce into the arms of her awaiting Buffalo Soldier, Aloysius Honeycut.

While every musical that rocks the Broadway/ Off-Broadway circuit claims to be new and fresh, few, truly achieve such initiative like, Playwrights Horizons Bella: An American Tall Tale. Bella delivers a story, music, and cast that is as freshly squeezed as orange juice; sweet, sunny, and spiritually refreshing. Ashley D. Kelley debuts as Bella; bringing a genuine brightness and loveliness to the unstoppably optimistic heroine.

Kelley uses each scene as a testament to human creativity and compassion, which draws you into the musical’s outlandish numbers. Kirsten Childs created some brilliant songs like, “Quien Fuera Luna”, “Wagon Driver’s Song”, “Don’t Start No S**t”, and my favorite “One Ass To Another”. Yes, numbers, unavoidably/ happily, involve the accentuating and glorifying of “the booty”, because Bella is beautiful tale that promotes body positivity. While men fawn over Bella’s body, every woman in her life ingrains that her body is not a fetish but a canvas of history. NaTasha Williams as the Spirit of Booty, Kenita Miller as Mama, and Marinda Anderson a Aunt Dinah radiate like beacons of true character dignity. Despite their wows and societal “lowliness”, they carry themselves with a spiritual regard and regality that you wish you could carry for yourself. When you see someone suffer so much, and they still hold their power/ empowerment it challenges you to do the same. “Impossible” and “The Language Of My Nose And Lips And Hair” are some of the best numbers in the musical because they promote how we look as grand homages to our ancestors and what they suffered/ accomplished, which should be respected and relished. This notion brought an unexpected sentimentality to this humorous musical that makes you protective of Bella especially, through the second act, when her brimming hopefulness is challenged by her ego and pain. Like, any human being, we can only give so much to others until we have to see what we give to ourselves, and Kelley, Williams, Anderson, and Miller have the literal vocal power and prowess to relay such a message. When they sing, you get your wings and fly.

Beyond empowering, Bella: An American Tall Tale is hilarious, and proof that education can be fun. From Paolo Montalban’s show-stopping Tommie Haw to Yurel Echezarreta’s Diego Moreno, you learn about American legends and history that are often ignored because they are led by people of color. Bella’s ultimate goal is to make people of color learn that both, in and out, they have beauty to offer this world. So much of black, latino, Native American, and asian history within America is unknown, but each of those hands played a heavy and important role in sculpting America. With a warm, scenic design by Clint Ramos, boisterous choreography by Camille Brown, and fabulous, Old West costumes Dede Ayite, director Robert O’Hara create a world that you can step into easily, but have a hard time leaving. By the curtain call, I was eager to see Bella again, and have her teach me, again, that I should, “Make the memory of me so big, no can forget me”. Playwrights Horizons is located 416 West 42 Street
New York, NY 10036. To Buy Tickets to the unforgettable musical, Bella: An American Tall Tale Click Here.