Michael Breaux and Angel Love in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Joshua’s Boots
Joshua’s Boots, a limited-event co-production by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) and the Center of Creative Arts (COCA), wrapped up its run on Saturday, October 24. Set in the American Midwest, this contemporary opera should be of great interest to lovers of American history. It explores an overlooked era: the time of the Black cowboy. It tells an uplifting, humanistic story that balances the harsh realities of American history with its foundational ideals.
The story takes place in 1878, following Joshua (Michael Breaux), a young Black man living in Tennessee during the Reconstruction era. The narrative begins with him bursting into the family home to tell his mother (Angel Love), sister, and younger brother that his father has just been lynched by white men who accused him of stealing their business. His mother urges Joshua to go to Kansas, which they view as a promised land for oppressed Black Southerners.
Along the way, he meets another runaway named Natty Green (Ricco Martin, Jr.) and eventually finds refuge in Sally Finger’s (also played by Angel Love) saloon in Dodge City. There, he encounters a decorated soldier, a friendly cowboy, and a camp cook known as Cookie (James Stevens, who also doubles as Captain Pershing, leader of the Buffalo Soldiers) who help him secure work as a trail hand. Unfortunately, his new employer is Frederick (Sam Hawkins), the son of a Confederate soldier. Frederick refuses to accept the outcome of the war and blames Black men like Joshua for his father’s wartime injuries. The story centers around Joshua’s bildungsroman-style journey as he attempts to change Frederick’s heart through acts of selfless heroism.
As for production history, Joshua’s Boots first premiered at COCA in 1999. It was an original piece commissioned by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and composed by Adolphus Hailstork, a decorated composer whose works have been performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. The libretto was written by Susan Kander, who has over 40 years of experience as both a playwright and a composer. The stage director is Adam Flores, who has deep ties to the St. Louis community and its theater scene—in fact, he was once a teacher in the Parkway School District.
The show is done in a contemporary opera style, using a rural American folk idiom where characters speak-sing throughout. Because it is written as a suite, it functions more as a series of movements than a traditional collection of songs. A few scenes in particular stand out: the emotional introduction at Joshua’s family home, his first encounter with Cookie on the road to Dodge City, his arrival at Sally Finger’s saloon, and finally, the climactic cattle stampede occurring during a thunderstorm on a wide-open Kansas plain.
The period costuming is well done—understated and never distracting. Frederick’s all-black outfit marks him out as the antagonist (and, one must admit, looks rather badass). Quick scenic changes allow the stage to transform seamlessly from indoor to outdoor locations, while an illuminated backdrop with digital art completes the effect. Breaux carries the emotional weight of the production with grace, while Love and Stevens round out the cast with versatile, grounded performances across multiple roles.
This is a show that absolutely respects the audience’s time; the entire production runs just slightly over an hour with no intermission. Joshua’s Boots concluded its run on Saturday, October 24, but hopefully this limited event was a big enough success that OTSL may reprise Joshua’s Boots and perhaps even add it to its summer festival lineup. Be sure to check their website for details. | Rob Von Nordheim
