4.5 out of 5 stars

How thrilling it is to see a classic American play in a production that doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel. This staging of “Ceremonies in Dark Old Men” finds all the hard truths in Lonne Elder III’s richly symbolic 1969 drama about a Black family wrestling with their dreams and disillusionment. There are no bells and whistles here. Rather, it’s about a strong cast (Norm Lewis and Calvin M. Thompson especially) acting out the “ceremonies” – think games of checkers — under director Clinton Turner Davis’ solid guidance. Harry Feiner’s scenic design also encapsulates the mid-century Harlem setting to perfection. 4.5 out of 5 stars. — Charles Passy

Presented by the Peccadillo Theater Company, Negro Ensemble Company and Eric Falkenstein at Theatre at St. Clement’s, through June 29, 2025; thepeccadillo.com. (Review date: June 9, 2025)