REVIEW: ‘Coal Country,’ shut due to COVID-19, finally reopens
Photo: Coal Country stars, from left, Michael Laurence and Thomas Kopache. Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus / Provided by BBB with permission.
NEW YORK — This month, Audible Theater continues its winning track record with gripping shows presented in the West Village. They normally set up shop at the Minetta Lane Theatre, but this time around, they are presenting the Public Theater’s production of Coal Country at the nearby Cherry Lane Theatre. The show, written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, is a documentary play with music that looks at a coal-mining catastrophe that shook the state of West Virginia and the coal industry. Much of the dialogue is inspired by real events (a mine explosion in West Virginia in 2010), with the cast members directly addressing the audience with facts, figures, names and important information.
Punctuating the drama of the coal miners and their families are original songs performed by Steve Earle, who sits stage-side for the 90-minute show, something of a Greek chorus who is always watching and pondering.
The cast members are excellent at bringing this community to life on stage. Standouts include Mary Bacon, Ezra Knight and Thomas Kopache, but they are uniformly excellent.
The staging is simple, and the set is bare bones. Instead of high theatrics, the drama of the story being told is meant to win over the audience, and the power of the folksy tunes are meant to hammer the point home. And there’s a lot of drama to be had because this mining catastrophe and the resulting court battle speak to how much this industry is ingrained in the local neighborhood — and how the disaster could serve as a conversation starter on important issues, like labor rights, environmental destruction, climate change, unionization and professions that are passed down from father to son.
The proceedings move along quite quickly, with each character receiving time in the spotlight to offer a heartfelt, sometimes humorous monologue about their connection to the local mine. At times the dialogue feels too journalistic, with the words coming off as recitations of facts rather than the conveyance of feelings, but the emotional weight of the words come through nicely in Earle’s songs.
For the unbeknownst, Earle is a successful country folk artist who is a frequent presence on stages in New York City and around the world. This show finds him in a different setting, but his songs fit perfectly because they have always been about the American spirit, workers, so-called blue-collar blues and the raw deal so many people get in life. He’s a cross between Willie Nelson and Bruce Springsteen, and the subject matter of Coal Country serves his tell-it-like-it-is tunes well.
It should be noted that the indomitable spirit of these characters carries over to the cast and crew as well. Coal Country was one of the casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago, so it’s nice to see a remounting of the show now that it’s safer to enjoy indoor theater. Performances continue through April 17.
Blank serves double duty for the evening, directing the show and leading the actors on their journey toward hopeful redemption. The story that is shared is an important one to hear. There are personal lives behind these coal mining tales, and the impact of this industry affects everyone, even those sitting in a small West Village theater on Cherry Lane.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Coal Country, written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, features original music by Steve Earle. Directed by Blank. Starring Mary Bacon, Amelia Campbell, Earle, Ethelyn Friend, Kym Gomes, Joe Jung, Ezra Knight, Thomas Kopache, Michael Laurence, Deirdre Madigan and Carl Palmer. Running time: 90 minutes. Performances continue through April 17. Click here for more information and tickets.
