The Wake

My first Thomasina experience occurred exactly twelve days ago when she took the stage at Coffman Union as the sole role in a one-woman play - Daughters of Africa. Since then (and at the risk of sounding slightly creepy) she has succeeded in consuming many of my thoughts and much of my time. Meet her, and you’ll understand. She’s not an easy woman to get out of your head. She’s soft in the way that steel is soft, but owns eyes — the kind of eyes capable of immediately disarming the most defensive among us.

Charms aside, Thomasina Petrus (actress and vocalist) has become a staple in the local twin cities jazz and theatre scene. She’s been “doing her thing” here for 15 years and has evolved into a widely valued and exceptionally talented artist.

Daughters of Africa, as I mentioned, served as my first exposure to the woman who so successfully (and in such a short time) enchanted me. The play itself is soaked fully throughout with the obvious joy she felt in being able to perform such a work – and the evidence of her talent is further cemented with each scene. A Mixed Blood Production written by Phil Jones, chronicles the history and struggle of African-American women since their arrival in this country. Thomasina flawlessly represents the spirits of over 20 strong and influential African-American women. The list is significant: Harriet Tubman, Madame CJ Walker, Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, Rosa Parks, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Queen Latifah, Oprah, even my friend and yours – Condoleeza Rice. Petrus’ capacity for pulling off what seems to be the most perfect embodiment of each of these women – even in the cases of those we know little about – is remarkable.

She says that Daughters of Africa is one of the most important things she’ll ever do, “Slavery is 350 years old. We’ve only just come out of it. We have come such a long way, but we have so much left to do.” She’s just so good at getting inside of your spirit.

The emotional involvement that she so seamlessly invokes from the audience reaches an almost unbearable point in the play when she takes the stage as the late Billie Holiday. Ouch. How can one woman be so versatile? I purchased her CD at the end of the show; If Only . . . Billie Unsung. The CD holds 8 tracks, each a song sung in Billie’s unmistakable style. Perfect. It hurts, like I said. I played Petrus’ CD back to back with two of Holiday’s own albums and was incapable of telling the difference.

But, Petrus has her own vocal style. When she sings, what comes out is a singularly magnificent voice, the sort that rattles the ribcage with its tone and intensity. She’s not even trying, or so it seems. It’s just raw talent, nothing more, nothing less.

I experienced her talent again last night, Valentine’s Day, at a show titled Hot Chocolate at the Golden Thymes Café. She hopes to make it an annual event, so keep it in mind for next year.

Help this woman succeed. For a talent such as this to go on without taking the world would be a sin. Between the continual disintegration of the recording industry and that horrible celebration of mediocrity (The Grammys), a voice and drive like the ones Thomasina owns become more valuable.

Go experience this woman. Buy her CD at Electric Fetus, Borders in Block E, or at her website at thomasinaproductions.com. A new CD will come out in March as well. All you need to do is listen.