Playwright Howard L. Craft of Durham is out to establish a first-rank black superhero in "Jade City Chronicles, Vol. 1," and Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern's staging at Manbites Dog Theater goes a long way toward that goal, with an elaborate production and a talented cast.
As a teenager, Herald M.F. Jones discovers he has superpowers: He can fly and has fists that blast extreme force. His martial arts teacher, Uncle Roscoe, tells him he must use these powers for good in the community. Herald's best friend, Supreme, helps him with his exploits over the years, fighting thugs and dealers in their rundown neighborhood within Jade City.
By the time Herald reaches his forties, he's tired and battered (he's still a human and can be killed). He questions the value of his contributions against a corrupt city government that breeds racial and economic ills. He contemplates quitting, especially after initiating a relationship with Najia, an attractive hospital doctor.
But he's pushed into action when confronted with a rash of serial killings and an evil scientist out to commandeer his powers.
Torry Bend's impressive settings include a panoramic cityscape that transforms into comic book panels with movable floor-to-ceiling dividers.
There's also a huge screen that rolls on for animated and filmed sequences. Scott Marlowe's lighting and Tom Guild's sound design add distinctive atmosphere to the back alleys and secret hideouts.
Director Jay O'Berski establishes an energized momentum that the actors maintain as they make quick costume and set changes for the series of short scenes. The confident cast of 14 astutely balances the script's satiric and serious sides.
Mike Wiley makes a sympathetic Herald, cocky yet vulnerable. He plays well with Lakeisha Coffey's no-nonsense Najia and especially with Kashif Powell's hilarious Supreme; their several scenes of friendly sparring are the show's highlights. Alphonse Nicholson's teenage Herald is believably skeptical about the powers that Thaddaeus Edwards' wise Roscoe persuades him to use.
Craft uses humor to great effect and weaves in thought-provoking social commentary, but he puts in too much subplot for a single work. Many roles are uninteresting because they exist only to spout dense narrative about what has gone before. The several villains in the play suffer particularly from too much information and not enough characterization.
Still, the production offers engaging entertainment that should appeal well beyond the comic book crowd.
