In the Red and Brown Water
The combustible prose of Tarell Alvin McCraney and the heartbreaking countenance of Raushanah Simmons converge irresistibly in Studio Theatre's superb “In the Red and Brown Water,” the devastating chronicle of a track star outrun by a hard life's assault on the soul.
The swanlike Simmons plays the promising runner, Oya, in McCraney's prickly fable, set in and around the boisterous projects of the fictional Louisiana town of San Pere. With her incandescent smile and wounded gaze, the actress proves to be an ideal conduit for the play's tragic arc, its portrait of a woman who recedes from her own blazing potential and ultimately fails to produce the least of what she expects of herself.
The strongest impressions, however, are left by Simmons, whose Oya is a creation to grieve over, and McCraney, who with this play gives lovers of cascades of beautiful words another reason to cheer.
-Peter Marks, The Washington Post
ScreenPlay
There is, of course, a sidekick of a piano player in "Screen Play," but her name is Myrna (Raushanah Simmons), not Sam, and she doesn't sing "As Time Goes By." Instead, it's "My Gal Sal" that is Nick and Sally's love theme. Mr. Gurney's choice of anthem here is not merely whimsical. When Myrna sings "they called her frivolous Sal," a certain weight underlies the blitheness.
-Ben Brantley, The New York Times
ScreenPlay
In a clever gender-spin, the "play it again" pianist is a female named Myrna played by a charming and sexy Raushanah Simmons.
-Frank J. Avella, NewYorkCool.com
Lesser Seductions of History
Speaking of virtuosos, Raushanah Simmons plays the part of Martha Ward, George's sister and one of the truly devoted, first to her brother and Christ, then to the Party and the Cause; Raushanah's performance was entirely believable and entirely effortless, and she was a joy to watch...
-Toby Thelin, OffOffonline.com
Lesser Seductions of History
But without a doubt some of my personal favorite moments lay with the character of Martha (Raushanah Simmons) who starts off as a “good christian woman” who blanches at her brother George’s use of “cuss words” and “sex talk” and moves slowly through stages of trauma, submission and grief to emerge fiercely from the other side, a strong Black Panther who still does the Lord’s work, but with a different fire in her soul.
-Karen Tortora-Lee, The Happiest Medium.com
ScreenPlay
...and though Raushanah Simmons is underused as the bar's piano player, Myrna, she makes each of her scenes count thanks to her stunning presence and her lovely singing voice.
-Brian Scott Lipton, TheaterMania.com
In the Red and Brown Water
Simmons has to carry the play on her shoulders, and she succeeds admirably in embodying Oya's shifting moods, from steely determination to despair.
-Susan Berlin, TalkinBroadway.com
In the Red and Brown Water
Of course at the center of everything is Raushanah Simmons as Oya, whose height and striking beauty help define her character. With tense body language and a cracked, heartbroken voice, Simmons is the center of attention for cast and audience alike, and the actress never falters.
My friend who joined me, a woman infinitely more observant of female body language than myself, later remarked how Simmons conveys more world-weary sadness as the play continues, and she’s exactly right. Oya ages a lifetime as her story unfolds – thankfully Simmons is up to the difficult task.
-Alan Zilberman, BrightestYoungThings.com
Last Call on Bourbon Street
Raushanah Simmons as Sally Ann is responsible for one of the... standout sequences with the tale of her family's rooftop nightmare.
-Amber Gallery, nytheatre.com