Charlene Baldridge: Airline Highway

Charlene Baldridge
Photo by Ken Howard

No Longer in the Pink

ion theatre's

Airline Highway
at 10th Avenue Arts Center

Opening night, Sunday, Aug. 14

Miss Ruby reigned over New Orleans’ faded Hummingbird Hotel in its heyday, long past. When the building's color was still pink, she held sway over its sundry residents as well, dispensing love and advice. Now she is nearing death, and even though she doesn’t really remember doing so, she’s asked the residents to hold her funeral before she dies so she can enjoy it.

In various states of existential extremis, the current residents have asked the former residents to join in. The entire first act is devoted to gathering cold cuts, beer, paper plates, and chips, and to gossiping. For instance it’s rumored that former resident Bait Boy (Richard Johnson) is coming from Atlanta. He does indeed, with a 16-year-old named Zoe (high school junior Natasha Partnoy) in tow. He's changed hs name to Greg now as an indicator of his success.

Zoe, a bright girl and a good student at her Atlanta high school, is doing a project about subcultures and has identified the residents of the Hummingbird as her subjects. She is so refreshingly naïve she doesn’t realize these people are all fading strippers, prostitutes, recovering drug addicts, and con men, and that her friend Greg is merely a con man too.

Kevane La’Marr Coleman plays the part of Sissy Na Na, the adorable, indefatigable transvestite that cares for the long unseen Miss Ruby (Elaine Litton). Glenn Paris portrays the building manager, and Rhys Greene, his chain-smoking handyman. Important others are Krista (Dana Fares), Tanya (Beverly Baker), and a resident poet on a bicycle named Francis (Tim West).

There is definitely a culture here, even though it is sub. The playwright and the preaching of Miss Ruby seek to convince us that every human life, no matter how sub, is worthwhile (Yep, I get that), and that there is a supportive fellowship for all, and furthermore, we should care for this play; but I was, at length, unconvinced, caring human though I am, beset by too much cigarette smoke (I don’t care if they’re herbal and non-tobacco!) and too many words. It was real stinky, baby, and my eyes still smart.

Richard Johnson romances his former flame, played by Dana Fares
with Glenn Paris in the background
Photos by Daren Scott

Company members aloft
with Rhys Green and Fares in foreground

Director Claudio Raygoza’s scenic and sound designs are excellent, with a plundered, broken-down automobile on stage. The play is performed in clear cinematic “takes," lighted by Karen Filijan. There's even a plundered-for-parts red clunker parked in one of the empty slots in front of the two-level Hummingbird.

The subculture clothing is created by costume designer Janet Turner Pitcher, and Michael Mizerany provides a bit of celebratory choreographer for the girls’ number, “Oh, Daddy, Love Me Good.” Braulio Fernandez, Jose Galvan, Steve McLaughlin, Leo Slocum, Nicole Sollazzo, Andrew Stone, Tomia Taylor, and Kaitlin Williams play hordes of former denizens. God bless them all.

By the way, The Tenth Avenue Arts Center has never looked so good.

Airline Highway

Directed by Claudio Raygoza

7pm Wednesdays; 8pm Thursdays-Saturdays; 2pm Sundays through September 3 at Tenth Avenue Arts Center,

930 10^th Ave. (Just south of Broadway)

$32 with discounts for seniors, military, students and groups.