"Crossroad Blues"

Casting is complete for D.C.S.'s current production; a new play by Mark Leonard based on the life, death and legend of Delta Blues pioneer Robert Johnson.

Director Tim Bixler and his excellent ensemble will bring this performance to the Jake and Frieda Stein Hall, Bass Cultural Center, in Greenville on September 14th and 15th (Friday and Saturday) at 7:30pm. The plays run will end with a Sunday matinee at 2:30pm.

"Crossroad Blues" Cast

Delta Center Stage presents 'Crossroad Blues'
By LYNN LaFOE - Delta Democrat Times

Los Angeles playwright Mark Leonard thought it only fitting that the world premiere of his play, "Crossroad Blues," take place in the Delta.

"Crossroad Blues" is about Delta bluesman Robert Johnson, a man many consider to be the greatest blues guitarist ever. He died mysteriously in Greenwood in 1938 at the age of 27.

After spending decades researching the facts, stories and legends surrounding Robert Johnson, Leonard has boiled it all down to a simple, fictional account of his last days.

"I've been working on this play off and on for about 30 years. When I finished it last January I started doing readings with some friends here and I thought it would be a good idea to have the premiere in the Delta where it takes place," Leonard said in a telephone interview from his home.

To make that happen Leonard needed a community theater in the area capable of producing the play. He searched the Internet and found a familiar name among the Mississippi Theater Association's roster of members -- Tim Bixler of Greenville's own Delta Center Stage.

"I remembered Tim Bixler and his wife Sonya from a production of "A Moon for the Misbegotten' at the MTA competition in Meridian years ago. I remembered it was an excellent production, so I gave him a call," said Leonard.

Tim Bixler, who is directing the local production of "Crossroad Blues," said he was glad Leonard remembered him and the Delta Center Stage performance which won the state competition that year.

"Obviously, we were pleased that Mark remembered our performance and asked us to do his play," Bixler said. "We're also pleased that we can give him this rare opportunity to have his work first produced near the actual location and in the voices and dialects of authentic Deltans."

The story takes place in Greenwood and Leonard is glad the play will premiere so close to Johnson's last home town.

"The regional accents, traditions and customs -- local actors can bring so much to the play," he said, adding that he is also interested in the information he might pick up from people who see the play and tell him whether what he has written is right or wrong.

Leonard is quick to say that "Crossroad Blues" is not a factual account of the murder of Johnson. "Those facts are few and obscure and muddled in the mists of legends," Leonard said. "Some sources say that a jealous lover shot Robert. Others suggest a jealous husband poisoned him. One of the more fantastic stories says he was voodooed to death."

"Admittedly, there is little that is strictly factual about the circumstances of his death as portrayed in my play. We know he died in Greenwood in 1938 at the age of 27. We know that he was a great musician and songwriter with a reputation of being a man with an extraordinary way with the ladies. Many of them. The rest is all conjecture and supposition on anyone's part and I have merely added mine to the mix," Leonard said.

Bixler echoes Leonard's statements.

"One thing that I want folks in the audience to understand -- especially those who are familiar with the historical Robert Johnson -- is that this is a fictional account, almost completely fictional," Bixler said. "Much like the histories of Shakespeare, Mark Leonard has taken some of the sketchy facts about someone in history and woven selected factual information into an otherwise completely fictional account of Robert Johnson's last days."

This style is not all that uncommon, and dramas are seldom, if ever, noted for their historical accuracy, but even more so with this piece, Bixler added. The playwright's intention has been to transform the stories about the event, and a legend or two, into a story with an agenda and message of its own.

Leonard cautioned that he is in no way trying to solve the case of the murder of Robert Johnson through his play.

"I do not mean to point a finger at any person living or dead for being responsible for Robert Johnson's death. I do suggest that the music industry has had a history of exploiting Delta blues musicians with little or no financial compensation. If there is any historical villain in my play, perhaps it is that one," Leonard said.

In his play, Leonard relied heavily on the legend promoted by Johnson himself that he "acquired his extraordinary musicianship through a pact with Satan made at the crossroads on a moonlit 12th hour of the night."

"The truth of this contract is, of course, dependent on your view of the world and religious beliefs. You will find that I have left it ambiguous in my play. My own view is that I doubt that Robert signed a deal with the devil at midnight, but I also tend to go along with Mr. William Shakespeare when he has Hamlet say that "There are more things on heaven and earth than can be found in all your philosophies.'"

Producing "Crossroad Blues" has been a challenge for Delta Center Stage in several ways, Bixler said.

"Although this isn't the first original script that we've done at DCS, this will be the first one in our membership season. It's always interesting and challenging to work on something that hasn't been staged before, but what is really exciting about "Crossroad Blues' is the quality of the script. There are lots of would-be playwrights out there trying to get their work produced; there are very, very few who write this well," Bixler said.

Another challenging aspect of the play is the licensing issues, Bixler said.

"With a published script, you just send the money to the address printed in the book, and you're done. With an original work like this, especially one involving the intellectual and artistic property of a historical character, it isn't so easy. We've worked hard to make sure that the Robert Johnson estate was not exploited in any way. Stephen LaVere of the Delta Haze Corporation in Greenwood has been very helpful with the licensing issues, and has also been very helpful with some of the historical details," Bixler added.

Leonard's play takes a somewhat surprising twist in developing its underlying message.

"Some folks may find this a little shocking, but really, the Robert Johnson character in Leonard's play is a Christ figure, a sacrificial lamb who gives up his own life to save another. That may sound a little jarring given the reputation that the historical Johnson had for -- shall we say -- living well," Bixler said. "It's reasonable to wonder how a story involving such a legendary hard drinker and ladies man could be portrayed as a Christ figure, but Leonard really has done an effective job of making that juxtaposition work. The adroitness with which Leonard makes this literary turn is astonishing."

Tickets to "Crossroad Blues" are $10 for adults and $5 for students. They are available at McCormick Book Inn, Village Pharmacy, Johl & Bergman, Dattel & Co. and Brim's Music Shop or at the door.

Lynn LaFoe can be reached at (662) 378-0724 or lynnlafoe@hotmail.com