Prodigal Sister

The Biblical tale about the prodigal son inspired this Black musical with rhymed dialogue about Jackie (Paula Desmond), a 17-year-old girl from a Georgia small town, who gets pregnant. To escape her father’s (Leonard Jackson) wrath, she runs away to Baltimore. Her adventures in the big city are seen as if in the crystal ball of a seeress.

In Baltimore, she becomes indentured to Baltimore Bessie (Louise Stubbs), proprietress of a combination coffin factory and whorehouse. Jackie eventually gets herself shipped home—in a company casket—to be joyfully welcomed back by her anxious but forgiving family.

Musical numbers included “Slip Away,” “Ain’t Marrying Nobody,” “If You Know What’s Good for You,” “Big City Dance,” “Sister Love,” “Hot Pants Dance,” and, among others, “The Prodigal Has Returned.” – Samuel L. Leiter