Samuel B. Jackson, Akili Ni Mali, Tiffany Renee Johnson, Destini Huston and Demetra Dee in Steppenwolf Theatre’s world premiere adaptation of “Chlorine Sky”/Photo: Michael Brosilow
Sky, the thoughtful, athletic, resilient character at the center of the young adult play “Chlorine Sky,” is far from the center of the sometimes supportive, often cruel group of high school girls who make up her social circle. Sky might be outside their orbit altogether except that her best friend, Lay Li, is the circle’s vain, glamorous darling. Lay Li’s also a favorite of the boys the girls meet at the Oakland ball court and swimming pool where they hang out. Sky enjoys her status as the “star’s” best friend, and is willing to rationalize and forgive her bestie for laughing when Sky is the butt of so-ugly jokes. And when Lay Li tries to remake Sky in her shallow image. Lay Li, Sky theorizes, is so flirty and callous in order to forget her father’s a gangster. “Lay Li think she’s cute,” says Sky in the free verse that fills the play, “Like she Tyra Banks-Naomi Campbell-Moesha-Tia-Tamera or something. Like she long-curly-hair-movie-star perfect… Like she all-new-Macy’s-rack-&-Adidas-shell-toe perfect. Like she ain’t never had a bad day in the sun perfect. Like she ain’t never had a bad picture kind of perfect. Like she got a life don’t nobody judge cause she’s so… perfect.”
The moving production is author Mahogany L. Browne’s adaptation of her verse novel aimed at young readers and at others who prefer the young-adult genre. About fifty percent of YA novels are purchased and read by readers over eighteen, and “Chlorine Sky,” the play, like most of Steppenwolf’s young-adult theater offerings, works for a broader group. The young-adult genre often turns grimly around traumatized kids who need deliverance, redemption and love. This show is about the importance of friendship and its perils. Menace still lurks on the sidelines. There are over-aggressive boys and hints of bad homes, but friendship is where the stakes are highest. Studies show repeatedly that strong childhood friendships are the bedrock for our future selves. When we’re young, we leverage the passions and intelligence of friends into our selves. Their habits influence our habits. Their other friendships and home lives prep us socially for a future outside our families.
Destini Huston and Akili Ni Mali in “Chlorine Sky”/Photo: Michael Brosilow
For Sky, however, the main fact about her friendship is that it is poisonous. Narcissistic Lay Li does not even pay enough attention to Sky to misunderstand her. Yet, Sky, who is smart and witty, learns how to extract herself from the relationship and come out whole.
Director Ericka Ratcliff, who is also artistic director at Congo Square Theatre Company, brings the verse script to life with a brilliant combination of choreography, moving visuals and fast pacing. As with her production of Congo Square’s “What to Send Up When it Goes Down,” Ratcliff has a gift for creating moments onstage that elicit spontaneous reactions from the audience. This time they are joyous. The show has three great leads with expressive power and comic timing. Akili Ni Mali as Sky is a marvel of expressiveness, both physically and in her young-and-wise interpretation of the verse. Destini Huston as Lay Li strikes the right mix of mean and needy. And Samuel B Jackson, the one male actor who takes multiple roles, is so convincing in each I had to check the program to see if it were really just him in various parts.
For the general public, this is a short run at Steppenwolf with shows on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The show is suitable for all ages, but will resonate best with those in junior high or older. It’s a show that younger theatergoers can venture to in a group and tickets are just $5 for students to groups that register in advance. The company is also presenting the show for school groups which can arrange for their own matinee performances.
“Chlorine Sky” at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Steppenwolf for Young Adults, 1650 North Halsted, (312)335-1650, steppenwolf.org. Through March 11.
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