In Real Life

Starred review from February 1, 2005
Anyone who has ever had dreams about moving to New York City and making a living from art will be laughing out loud at this third installment of Woodard's autobiographical trilogy (preceded by Pretty Fire and Neat, both of which stemmed from childhood experiences). With perfect tonality, she describes her tenement apartment, recaps her experience as a cocky black actress who arrives in the city with Shakespeare and Chekhov monologs, and records her friendship with a cabaret star who attends a preview "incognegro." So vivid are Woodard's descriptions that it will be difficult for listeners not to fill in the blanks with their own hopes, fears, and nightmares. If this monolog has any faults, it might be that it's too short and the focus is too narrow, concentrating solely on her early work.-Rochelle Ratner, formerly with Soho Weekly News, New York

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