Set in the Jazz Age of Harlem, After Midnight travels through the decade, capturing the emotions of love, laughter and loss. For the opening scene, Dulé Hill saunters out onto a dimly lit stage with a street light while the jazz ensemble plays behind him. In a well tailored suit the bright-eyed Hill prepares the audience for what happens “after midnight” in Harlem. Hill, who is best known from the show “Psyche,” is a charming host for the jazz fete.
In 90 minutes, the cast of impeccably outfitted dancers, actors and musicians run through more than 20 songs that touched on the human experience.
Adriane Lenox, who played something like a sassy aunt, cautioned women to “keep their mouths shut” in a very humorous and “not safe for children” way. Carmen Ruby Floyd, who performed “Creole Love Song” hit notes that tap-danced on the soul.
Every dance performance was followed by a roar of approval from the crowd. If not the wiser, you would believe that even the set props went through rigorous training just to compete with the talent that flooded the stage.
Much credit and praise to the Jazz at Lincoln Center All-Stars who added to the excitement and emotion from beginning to end.
Fantasia Barrino walked on stage and you could feel the anxiousness of the audience before she uttered a single note. Barrino did not kick off her shoes in her signature style, but gave a level of performance that pleased her fans.
If you are wondering whether or not you should see After Midnight, the answer is an emphatic yes!
