“I Am Who I Am: The Story of Teddy Pendergrass”
Written by Jackie Taylor
Showing: Black Ensemble Theater, 4520 N. Beacon, open run
Tickets: $35-$45
Contact: (773) 769-4451; blackensembletheater.org

By Brian Kirst

Contributing writer

To experience a show at Black Ensemble Theater is also to experience its audience. The attendees are boisterous, care little for the technicalities of the fourth wall and they, eventually, produce an overwhelmingly communal evening. Never is this more apparent than with Black Ensemble Theater’s current, often heartbreaking, production of “I Am Who I Am: The Story of Teddy Pendergrass.” The audience cries out with encouragement for the performers during their musical numbers, and electric standing ovations are de rigueur when a moment truly moves them.

“I Am Who I Am” details the life of Grammy-nominated recording artist Teddy Pendergrass, whose live shows were renowned for their theatrical sexuality. Pendergrass began his career with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, quickly becoming their focal point. Disenchanted with the frugal, egomaniacal Melvin, Pendergrass left the group and established himself as a popular solo artist in the mid-1970s. Just as his career was entering stratospheric heights in the early 1980s, Pendergrass suffered a catastrophic automobile accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

The script, developed by Jackie Taylor in conjunction with Pendergrass and his contemporaries, does not shy away from the more sordid aspects of Pendergrass’ life. Ample attention is paid to his hard partying and womanizing. Focus is also given to the myriad of lawsuits brought against him and the unsolved murder of his manager and former lover, Taz Lang. While some of this information is brought forth with a natural ease, many of the scenes deflate under the burden of heavy exposition. The accident that forever changed Pendergrass’ life is also shied away from. Instead of being made privy to the details, we are told to read his autobiography to get the complete story.

The power of the performances and the masterful musical numbers, which compose the majority of the production, make these flaws seem somewhat inconsequential, however. As a director, Taylor wrings every ounce of energy and professional commitment out of her cast. The crackerjack band, under the leadership of Jimmy Tillman and utilizing the arrangements of Thomas Washington, also gives the show a rousing, go for broke quality.

The cast, exceptionally costumed by Glendar Howard and Barbara Abernathy, is buoyed up by the power of Tillman and Washington’s musicality.

Pendergrass is played by two enormous talents. Teddy, as a young man, is given an endearing egoism and powerful sensuality by Rashawn Thompson. Thompson manipulates every pint of emotionality out of numbers such as “Close the Door” and “You’re My Latest Greatest Inspiration” (which inspired the majority of the audience to join in the “Higher!” choral chant). As the elder Teddy, Kevin McIlvaine resonates with a resigned maturity and testy determination. McIlvaine’s “Get up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose” is the evening’s joyous highlight. As the doomed Taz, Kristy Johnson sparkles with warmth and sass. Dawn Mitchell practically steals the show with her dead-on portrayal of Patti Labelle performing “You Are My Friend.” Mitchell is a facially contorted, high-heel, flinging delight. Tony Duwon, Rueben Echoles and Billy Simmons, as producers Gamble and Huff and manager Shep Gordon, also contribute with sharp humor. All involved prove that “Life is a Song Worth Singing,” one of Pendergrass’ popular numbers and perhaps his truest statement about survival despite the odds.