Tad in 5th City

An unflinching depiction of poverty isn’t often paired with genuine warmth. But MPAACT’s latest manages the neat trick of addressing the chaos surrounding black children in the aftermath of Chicago’s 1968 riots with bounce, honesty and delight. Adapting from the poetry of Orron Kenyatta, a public-school teacher and 12-year veteran of the spoken-word scene, Stillwell pulls from the verse the slight story of good-boy-in-bad-circumstances Tad and wisely lets the language take the lead. As indicated by Shepsu Aakhu’s set (five arresting slice-of-life paintings of criminals, police and citizens), Tad comprises a series of vignettes and refrains, not so much a story as a compendium of West Side pride and sorrow.

Stillwell has also gathered a remarkable ensemble. As Tad, fifth-grader Destin L. Teamer has a natural and endearing stage presence. Andre Teamer, Destin’s real-life father and the play’s narrator, pushes the evening along with strength and hope as he laments the sorry lot of Fifth City’s women and bandies wits with an obnoxious preacher. Sati Word, as said preacher and a variety of lowlifes, is the evening’s scene-stealer, wrangling more laughs out of a dealer’s glance or a pimp’s gesture than ought to be possible. With Sharlet Webb’s fantastic ’70s costumes and Red Clay’s original live music rounding out, Tad provides a glimpse into one of Chicago’s darkest times without losing heart.

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