Christopher Paul Curtis wrote “Bud, Not Buddy,” an inspirational book that takes a meaningful look at the perception of family and what it represents and which will soon be on the Sponberg Theatre stage.
This story is set in the 1930s during the Great Depression where the reader is taken on a journey with a runaway orphan named Bud.
Bud thinks his father, whom he has never met, Herman E. Calloway (played by Donald Amerson) is in a jazz band called the Dusty Devastators of the Depression. Bud travels from Flint to Grand Rapids in an attempt to reunite himself with his father.
Tomorrow is the opening of Reginald Andre Jackson’s adaptation of “Bud, Not Buddy,” directed by Meriah Sage.
“I want the audience to enjoy this book come to life on stage,” said Sage. “Also, there is the characters journey and the people he meets who help him along the way.”
Though this is a show with a serious plot, it is richly funny and offers up positive and negative aspects. It touches on important themes such as family, hardship, racism, hope, jazz and the comfort it provides in difficult times.
The reason Bud is on the road is because he is running from an abusive foster family. However Bud’s running soon finds him in dangerous territory – Owosso, Mich. – which at the time was not safe for someone of color.
“The biggest thing in this show is the importance of just continuing on and staying positive,” cast member Dan Johnson, who plays band member Mr. Jimmy, said of the performance. “No matter what obstacles you may face, just keep looking forward and going for your dream.”
This show is a little bit different for the fact that it is Narrative Theater. Narrative Theater is simply a split between narration and performance. Yet it is not simply one narrator delivering lines but an ensemble of characters telling a story.
This script has many things taken from the book, but as with any adaptation there are scenes that have been left out due to time. Everything of crucial importance was left in, including all the main characters.
A few important scenes that were left in include when Lefty Louis helps Bud out, and when other people support him in his quest to Grand Rapids. It is this sense of companionship that helps Bud realize what he has truly found.
“Family can be biological or formed by way of people coming together who care about each other,” said Amerson. “Bud searches for his father but finds a large family in Herman E. Calloway’s band. Family is so important that even a child understands how crucial it is to know your roots in order to know your future.”
“Bud, Not Buddy” opens at 7 p.m.tomorrow in Sponberg Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office in Quirk Theatre. Production dates are 7p.m. April 8, 9 and 10 and 3p.m. April 10.