‘DIASPORA!’ Review: Delivers on its Big Dreams

Squeezing in multiple generations of family history, historical references to Black communities in Boston, concurrent love stories connected through vivid flashbacks, and a K-pop dance break into a 95-minute show is no small feat, but “DIASPORA!” rises to the occasion. Playwright Phaedra Michelle Scott poses the question, “Who am I, as a Black diasporic person, if I cannot trace where I came from?” Despite brief moments of excessively explicit exposition and over-dramatic detractions, New Repertory Theatre’s production of “DIASPORA!” directed by Pascale Florestal delivers on its big dreams without leaving Boston’s backyard.

In an intimate black box theater, scenic design by Janie E. Howland immediately places the audience in an aged apartment which feels so lived-in that the separation between stage and seats fades away. The set proves to be versatile without losing its uniqueness. Entirely taking place in the living room, “DIASPORA!” skillfully unites the audience over typically divisive subject matter, seldom shying away from difficult discussions of sexuality, interracial relationships, intergenerational differences, political protest, and inaction, all while emphasizing the profound love that underpins it all.

Beyond the physical staging and set, the play encourages audiences to critically engage with questions of identity and location, underscoring that the impact of this show extends far beyond the theater.

The production would have benefited from additional visual cues to firmly ground the narrative in Boston — but it effectively pays tribute to several significant locations in Black Boston history: addressing the gentrification of the South End, depicting racism in Mission Hill, and shedding light on the absence of representation for Generational African-Americans in Boston-area schools.

“DIASPORA!” follows an impassioned writer Sunny (Lorraine Victoria Kanyike) on her quest to unravel the white ancestry woven into her Black family legacy. This exploration causes conflict with her spirited college-aged niece, Janae (Serenity S’rae), who would prefer to write her own story through radical direct action. S’rae’s energetic performance balanced by Kanyike’s groundedness elevates moments of dialogue that may have otherwise seemed cliché. With the support of actors Sean Patrick Gibbons (Patrick) and Jae Woo (John), Kanyike successfully represents the heartbeat of the narrative through her performance as Sunny.

While “DIASPORA!” boasts intriguing moments across diverse experiences, there are small instances of disbelief that detract from its cohesion. For example, John, an enigmatic medical student, withholds a few too many crucial secrets that likely would not withstand a year of suppression, including burning questions about LGBTQ+ identity and potential feelings of Korean fetishization from his white long-term boyfriend, Patrick. Due to these flaws, combined with fleeting moments of over-acting in this relationship that conflict with the intimate nature of the staging, the audience must suspend belief at the convenience of certain plot devices and emotional crests, like the diary that conveniently only reappears when needed.

Nonetheless, the chemistry between John and Patrick and the fervent romance between interracial couple Dottie (Valyn Lyric Turner) and Thomas (Jon Vellante), are so palpable that it has the power to sweep the audience away if they allow themselves to be carried along.

The pairs of star-crossed lovers mirror each other’s stories despite being set generations apart from each other. With clever direction from Florestal, the show seamlessly weaves between intersecting timelines through the movement of an elusive diary of family history. Using sonic transitions of teapot dog-whistles that are only audible to the inquisitive Sunny, the audience is given a special glimpse into the house’s history and the often gaslit experience of being a Black woman in Sunny’s shoes. In addition to sound designer James Cannon’s symbolic sonic landscapes, bold lighting design by Lauren Stetson allows for a stunning reveal at the end of the show, illuminating a path forward for Sunny by looking into her own past.

“DIASPORA!” sheds much needed light on the universal aspects of history that make people different from one another and the humanity that holds people together. It’s a show that not only deserves to be seen, but also offers thought-provoking themes that invite deep discussion and action on issues of intersectional identity and action.

New Repertory Theatre’s production of “DIASPORA!” runs at The Black Box Theater at The Mosesian Center for the Arts through Oct. 15.