We took a musical journey through the underground railroad that went south…
Chopping It Up: The AUS team on ‘Mexodus’ @ Berkeley Rep
Our Afro Urban Society admin team - Kanukai (Program Manager- Performance & Production), Lindiwe (Communications & Program Associate), Viva (Program Manager - Incubate & Community) and Nkeiruka (Executive & Artistic Director) got the opportunity to check out the west coast premiere of ‘Mexodus’, a two-person, live-looping musical showing at Berkeley Rep, by and featuring Brian Quijada And Nygel D. Robinson, and directed by Berkeley Rep’s Associate Artistic Director David Mendizábal. And here’s our post-show whatsapp infused digest…
Okay off the top, honest first impressions?
LM: Ohh, this should be interesting, there’s no way they are going to touch on every piece (of the stage set up).
NO: Am I going to like this?
VA: Damn, there’s a lot of old white people in here
KC: What are these two guys really going to do for the next 90 minutes?
2nd or 3rd Impressions?
NO: Ohhhh!! The set & lighting design are paid actors!
KC: They are really about to make live music throughout the entire show, where are the dancers at?
VA: This set is SO beautiful and intentionally intricate. Brian’s stage presence though!!! Nygel’s vocal range is MAD!
LM: I was locked in from the humor, the vocals and the quick compilation on the beat maker.
KC: Nygel is working hard. He can sing and play all these instruments. His section is serious oooo. I felt all the feelings during the first half of the show. Okay, Brian the comic, his historical facts being dropped from all directions but still funny. Balance!
NO: Black people (and the things we birth) really are everything!
Using a meme/gif, respond to a point in the show.
VA: *Whatsapp Audio*
KC: Yes! After the letter! Did anybody in your show scream Asheeeee? I found myself saying Ashe 😂😂😂. Some older lady did too
NO: It was something about what has your ancestor's _____ made possible for you?
VA: My reaction…
NO: Yo! this was where I leaned away from my partner cos I was like "THEY NOT LIKE US". Both the impact of the line and the realization that yoooo I need to face myself. Then I wanted to correct the actor, like “Breh looking at this audience... it's giving 'forefathers'”.
VA: And a little hint of this…
KC: When Brian talked about how his mother warned him of the area they were getting gas and how he began to fear for his father’s life which then changed his feelings towards black people for the longest.
KC: When Brian’s Farm was about to get flooded and he was packing his goods - I wish Nygel said “You only have 30 minutes”
KC: When the white woman framed Henry [Nygel] - This was me..
KC: When Nygel spoke about the love his family already had for him before he was born. I thought of this
KC: When Nygel didn’t want to leave Brian’s farm lmao
What life lesson, or real life/current day situation did this piece activate for you? OR what questions came up for you as you were watching?
VA: In what ways am I currently avoiding vulnerability and in turn blocking myself and my lineage access to more healing? What would my life be like if I was fluent in my fathers tongue?
LM: Man if my dad was sitting next to me he’d remind me that if I took my music as seriously I’d be at that level. But the life lesson is just the beauty in art or turning anything into art.
NO: Man! It would have been fire if our AUS Lit from the Black! Stage Design & Tech Fellows could be a part of a production like this.
KC: What was the role of women during this time period? How am I writing my story and connecting it to history and the future? I would have enjoyed history classes if they were taught like this in school -singing, music, shaking ass, all of it! The importance of God in people who are oppressed even when the Bible was used to oppress them.
Say something to one of the characters in the show, what would you say?
KC: Henry [Nygel] - “You are truly living the days your ancestors have earned you to the fullest. May they continue to guide and protect you as they did even before you were born”
NO: God - “Why you tripping?”
Take home impressions?
NO: Am I the audience?
KC: Welllll, I want to be part of a 2 person performance that is as impactful as Mexodus, wink wink to my AD.
VA: I feel like this should be shown to Black & Brown young people across the entire Bay Area with connection to a post talk history decompression lesson or something. Those sound and light designers did they’re thang!
LM: This was definitely non-regrettably worth my time!
A must see POC theatrical musical this fall at Berkeley Rep