‘Ceremonies in Dark Old Men’ Off-Broadway review — Norm Lewis-led play transports us to 1950s Harlem
Read our review of Ceremonies in Dark Old Men off Broadway, the first NYC revival of Lonne Elder III's drama in 40 years, starring Tony and Emmy nominee Norm Lewis.
When Ceremonies in Dark Old Men first premiered off Broadway nearly 60 years ago, author James Baldwin remarked that it was “the most truthful play I have seen in a long time.” For many, Lonne Elder III's play captured the experience of trying to exist in a system — in a country — hostile to one’s very being as a Black American. This is the crux of the story of the Parker family, never directly addressed, but ever-present.
In Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, there are those who work with the system and are beaten down for their efforts, like Adele Parker and her deceased mother, who we’re told worked herself into an early grave. They leave Harlem every morning to commute to the dreaded “downtown” and return exhausted. Then there are those who reject the system and its exploitation, like widowed patriarch Russell Parker and his two sons, Theo and Bobby. Though Russell’s barber shop is a flop, the three men think the way to a better life is by making a business out of Theo’s bootleg whiskey.
A veritable tension runs through the entire play, even as Russell (an endearing Norm Lewis), a former vaudeville star now coasting on his memories, relives his glory days with his children. Halfway through the play, the tensions remain, but the dynamics all shift on their heads. Theo (Bryce Michael Wood) and Adele (Morgan Siobhan Green) are excellent foils for each other as the siblings swap their senses of responsibility for the family between the acts, while Bobby (Jeremiah Packer) drifts happily outside the family conflicts, bright but dangerously clueless.
Set in the 1950s, written in the 1960s, and performed off Broadway throughout the 1980s, Elder’s play and its themes are evergreen in 2025. Director Clinton Turner Davis slowly builds the tension throughout the narrative until releasing it with one tragic line that ends the play. The entire cast are fantastic at grounding their characters in a specific era of Harlem’s history while also portraying people who could easily be NYC residents today.
Ceremonies in Dark Old Men summary
In 1950s Harlem, widower Russell Parker owns a barber shop below the apartment he shares with his family. The shop rarely sees any traffic except for Parker’s friend Jenkins for their usual chess games and the comings and goings of Parker’s three children. Daughter Adele is the only family member who brings money home, but she is determined not to work herself into an early grave supporting the family on her own like her mother did.
Meanwhile, sons Theo and Bobby refuse to be cogs in the system, choosing more dangerous paths in hopes of liberating themselves in their own way. But their decisions have consequences that change the Parker family forever.
What to expect at Ceremonies in Dark Old Men
The Theatre at St. Clements is a unique Off-Broadway venue: Originally an Episcopal church, the sanctuary was converted into a theatre space and also continues to act as a venue for religious services.
Clinton Turner Davis’s production of Ceremonies in Dark Old Men marks the play's first time in New York City in 40 years. The play premiered off Broadway in 1969 and opened to critical success, even earning a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The show runs approximately 2 hours and 25 minutes with one intermission.
What audiences are saying about Ceremonies in Dark Old Men
At the time of publication, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men has a 76% audience approval rating on Show-Score, with mostly positive reviews from theatregoers.
- “Very captivating drama and had a great balance between funny and serious moments.” -Show-Score user Carlo F
- “Layered, thought-provoking Black American family drama about choices and ambition” - Show-Score user KT
- “Morgan Siobhan Green & Felicia Boswell are talented and excellent and breathe real life variety into their characters.” -Show-Score user Joanne L
Read more audience reviews of Ceremonies in Dark Old Men on Show-Score.
Who should see Ceremonies in Dark Old Men
- Anyone who follows Norm Lewis’s theatre career, which spans from Shakespeare in the Park to his turn as the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, will want to see him as the wayward patriarch of the Parker family.
- Fans of Black authors like James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, and Richard Wright will be interested in the show’s exploration of Black experiences in 1950s Harlem.
- Theatregoers who enjoy period pieces from the 20th century will be intrigued by the setting of this play, brought to life in vivid detail by Harry Feiner’s scenic design.
Learn more about Ceremonies in Dark Old Men off Broadway
The Parkers offer a compelling look at a Harlem family who choose the more unpredictable of two bad options in a bid to find a better life.
Photo credit: Ceremonies in Dark Old Men on Broadway. (Photos by Maria Baranova)
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