Aunt Rudele's Family Reunion

A few decades back at Florida A & M University, Nate Jacobs disguised himself as a busy-body black aunt and regaled fellow students with "her" monologue. Aunt Rudele is older, even wiser-cracking now, and busier than ever setting her family straight before and during their annual family reunion.

Her monologue benefits greatly not only from continual development but from talented Carolyn Michel's infusions of structure and of variety in pacing. There are now distinctive scenes, with appropriate suggestive props, lighting, sound.

Flamboyant in oversized green-rimmed sunglasses, yellow gown replete with flowers, and a straw tote, the strawberry blond Rudele comes first with silent hubby Herbert to sister Doreatha's house. Unlike the lemonade she all but begs for, there's a smell definitely not to her liking. Right then and there, we know Rudele's Fried Chicken (also the name of Herbert's wife's Tallahassee restaurant) will be the reunion picnic's centerpiece. Doreatha's suggestion of a vegetarian meal never stood a chance.

And why not? Rudele points out Doreatha (darn Jenny Craig!) is now so skinny, she looks sick. At the picnic itself, the austere, Bible-referencing Aunt points out others' shortcomings: short hair that should be long enough to distract from a less than pretty face; Robert's owing her $25, though he's brought a date -- "Hootchie Mama" Shenika; the kids who farted while sleeping the night before; one who's tried to steal a chicken breast early on. Pity the teen whose trousers are down to his "butt." Rudele knows and tells the vile and violent story behind this so-called fashion!

Despite her devotion to scripture, though, she has nothing but scorn for the elder who last year intoned a lengthy, self-referencing prayer -- that she hilariously reproduces! Thank God, this year, her praise to God for the meal consists of but two well-chosen words. How typically untypical of Rudele.

Another feature that's cut off is the aunt's discussion of the family tree. We learn one kid knows in detail how it adds branches.

Through Rudele's eyes, we also imagine a lot of shaking passing for dancing by young Tasha and Nikita. She'll see they get appropriate lessons. Finally, the often "inspired" Rudele turns a capella songstress-composer singing of, and sashaying to, her experiences "Standing at the Bus Stop, Waiting for the Bus to Come." And with joy and laughter, she takes us with her.