There has been much anticipation for Thurgood at People’s Light Theatre in Malvern. Now that Thurgood Marshall himself has come alive on stage, audiences all around have given rave reviews, including Richard Lord from Performance Font PA.

Through Thurgood by playwright George Stevens, Jr., actor Brian Marable captures Thurgood Marshall’s signature poise, wit, and storytelling skill in this captivating one-man play.

“I am perpetually grateful for the opportunity to revisit this production because of the qualities Thurgood Marshall exemplified in his fight for equality and equal opportunities,” said Marable in a recent press release. “This is a real-life American story about a real-life African American hero. I get the chance to walk in his shoes and educate audiences on his impact in such an intimate and relaxed environment. It goes beyond most theatrical experiences and is by far the greatest and most memorable work I have produced.”

Thurgood debuted on Feb 22, and Lord published his review of the play on March 2. He explains that the most necessary part of portraying icons of history is making sure that they seem human to the audience. Too often are characters made into heroes and do not have the chance to show the “hopes, fear, joys, predictabilities and eye-opening surprises of ordinary human beings.”

Lord writes that Marable captured the likeness of Marshall through Stevens’ work. He paid close attention to Marable’s facial features when speaking and took note of changing tones through each passage spoken.

Overall, Lord enjoyed the play and thought it portrayed the winding history of Marshall well. His only takes of criticism are that he wished to see more of Marshall’s known weakness to make him appear more human or relatable. He credits everyone involved in the play for their hard work, including the designers, stage production, and more.

A lasting quote from his review reads, “The People’s Light production of Stevens’ play is simply exemplary.”

Thurgood is directed by People’s Light Associate Artistic Director Steve H. Broadnax III and runs Feb. 22 through March 19, with 21 public performances and seven student matinees for school groups. The show will be presented on the Leonard C. Haas Stage, a performance venue housed in an 18th-century stone barn that seats 340 audience members.

Read more about Richard Lord’s review at Performance Font PA.