Romance, drama, music and the big city: nearly 20 years ago, African-American movie goers fell in love with Love Jones, a 1997 film starring Larenz Tate and Nia Long. As Darius Lovehall and Nina Mosley, they enraptured audiences, playing two young Chicago-area professionals keen on their jobs, deep into the arts and hot for each other. Logistics may have kept fans from getting the sequel they wanted, but the heart of the story has been resurrected in the form of a stage play entitled Love Jones: The Musical, which played for an enthusiastic and nearly-full house at Grand Prairie’s Verizon Theatre on Sunday night.
Fans learned early-on that, for better or for worse, only the names of the characters and story outline would be reprised for the production; no original actors or dialogue. Some audience members made their disapproval known, but were soon drawn in nevertheless. At the Dallas show, none of the main performers—Marsha Ambrosious, Musiq Soulchild, or Chrisette Michele—-were featured, but fans were glad to see hip-hop legend MC Lyte early on and fell right into following the story. Stage and screen favorite Tony Grant (Love Thy Neighbor, Why Did I get Married) played the role of Lovehall and Michele’s replacement for the Mosley role was handled quite competently by music veteran Jamecia Bennet. The writer and director, Timothy Allen Smith and Zadia Ife, respectively, created a well-paced and modernized update; there’s a lot more profanity and salty language than featured in the film, but also a lot of wit: Grant’s version of Darius, for example, doesn’t read a poem to Nina, but he does tell everyone in Club Sanctuary that, “this young lady doesn’t know it yet, but me and her go together now” before serenading us all with Mint Condition’s “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes).”
When Nina gives him the digits, they exchange text messages that are posted on-screen for all to see and challenged one another’s knowledge of old school soul music, which is where live performances from Sisqo, Dave Hollister, Miche’le and Gary “Lil’ G” Jenkins came in to rousing applause. The chemistry between the two was believeable throughout, and the present-day dilemma of online dating is illustrated humorously by songstress Angie Fisher (Nina’s BFF, Josie) and a date from hell who shows up heavier and shorter than his profile pics. Chaz Shepard (The Temptations, Dreamgirls) is Nina’s interloping ex, Raheem DeVaughn both sings at the club and runs interference by flirting with Nia, while MC Lyte is featured as a performer and owner of the popular nightspot. Fans in Dallas were also treated to an appearance by Ginuwine, who sent the venue into a frenzy by reprising the bump-and grind ode, “Pony,” and stalking the aisles as fans parroted every every verse.
Old flames, money troubles, the path not taken…..will love finally prevail in the end? Fans already know the answer, but that doesn’t mean that Love Jones: The Musical is any less essential for the film fans to attend.
