Sandra’s Son
Written and Directed by Colin Healy
A Dharma Management Production
Greenfinch Theater & Dive
April 18, 2024
Image: Dharma Management/Greenfinch Theater & DIve
For an artist, it seems like it can be difficult to distinguish one’s life from one’s art. That’s what celebrated artist Cbabi Bayoc communicates with his one-person show, Sandra’s Son, running this weekend at Greenfinch Theater & Dive. The stage play is written and directed by Colin Healy and starring Bayoc as himself, in a story that’s essentially a living memoir focusing on Bayoc’s memorable personality and impressive artistic talent.
It’s a short production, running a little over an hour, and it comes across as more of a personable, illustrated lecture than a play much of the time, but it’s engaging and entertaining, driven by Bayoc’s compelling stories of his life and art. Speaking on a staged filled with canvases and art supplies, and backed by a screen that illustrates his talk with images of from his life and work, Bayoc holds the stage amiably. Whether sitting at an easel, or on a chair near an old TV surrounded by paintings-in-progress, he tells his life story from family beginnings, to personal triumphs and tragedies, to his education at Grambling State University, to the start of his career as an artist and his experiences working with music artists like Prince. It’s a compelling story characterized by a growing love and sense of purpose in art and life.
The Greenfinch Theater space works well for this loosely structured evening of reflection, with strong production design by Colin Healy and technical direction by Bradley Rohlf. The audio-visual elements are informative and add much in the way of entertainment value. It’s a fitting celebration of an artist and his art, as well as a great introduction for those unfamiliar with Bayoc and his work.
Dharma Management is presenting Sandra’s Son at Greenfinch Theater & Dive until April 21, 2024
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