Black Nativity

"Don't tell them to sit down," the Rev. Samuel Kinney stated to the audience as the first rule to dealing with passionate audience participants. The Intiman Theatre, housed at the northern-most part of Seattle Center, gets its share of passionate visitors for their annual production of Black Nativity.

"Sit down," replied the crowd. The strong and solitary words didn't shake Kinney when it came from the near 30-person choir standing behind him. Kinney, along with fellow host Pastor Patrinell Wright, has been with Black Nativity since the Intiman started its yearly showing in December 1998.

"Don't tell them to shut up," Kinney again spoke, this time concerning the second and final rule. Moments before Kinney started laying down the rules, Black Nativity opened its second act with a passionate version of Karamu -- a tribute to the joyful gathering of all people. After the rules, Kinney preached to the less passionate to get on up and shout along.

In the 75 minutes between an intermission martini and an after-show nightcap, the community developing semi-circular theater becomes alive with a mix of praise and acceptance in the form of clapping and singing, standing and dancing. But it is the electricity of gospel music that gets into the audience.

To say the least, Black Nativity is a different way to celebrate Christmas. Since childhood most of us have been inundated with the usual holiday classics in theaters, music halls and on television. But since Langston Hughes wrote the original Black Nativity in 1961, there has been an alternative to the classics A Christmas Carol, The Nutcracker and It's A Wonderful Life, which are regularly produced during the holiday season.

Through poetry, prose, gospel music, dance and all-around praise, the birth of Jesus is expressed through the eyes of the black community in Black Nativity's first act. Shorter than the second act, which is filled with audience interaction and ad-libbing, the first act moves through with gospel interpretations of well know Christmas classics like "Joy to the World," "O Holy Night" and "Little Drummer Boy."

Non-denominational and void of proselytizing, Black Nativity turns Christianity into a contact faith and falls short of representing the religions of many sects. But audience members don't need to be reaffirming their faith to attend -- Black Nativity is as much a cultural and entertaining venture as anything.