Despite star performance, ‘Dinah’ misses the mark

Known as “Queen of the Blues,” Dinah Washington lived life in large, bold strokes. She made her presence known both on and off the stage, whether she was crossing over between musical genres or, as was the case in 1959, taking a stand against racist policies directed toward black entertainers performing in Las Vegas.

Desperate to be loved, Washington — who began as a church gospel singer, received her first professional break from Lionel Hampton and became the female singer synonymous with R&B music from the 1940s until her death in 1964 at age 39 from substance abuse — was a self-made performer with a musical gift as big as her passion.

Quincy Jones hit the mark when he wrote in his 2001 biography “Q” that Washington “could take the melody in her hand, hold it like an egg, crack it open, fry it, let it sizzle, reconstruct it, put the egg back in the box and back in the refrigerator and you would’ve still understood every single syllable.”

This legendary singer’s life comes to a Boston-area stage in “Dinah Was,” now running at the Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell. In many ways, the production mirrors the mercurial nature of Washington’s life.

Written by Oliver Goldstick, the action centers on Washington’s 1959 three-night, sold-out booking at Las Vegas’ Sahara Hotel, which made her the first African American female to headline on the Vegas strip. When she arrives, she is informed that her accommodations are in trailers in the parking lot “a stone’s throw from the stage.”

Insulted, she protests the hotel’s policy and refuses to leave the lobby until given a room. From this premise, we travel back and forth in time through the personal and professional highs and lows of Washington’s life, replete with 13 renditions of her classic hits, including “What A Difference A Day Makes,” “Come Rain or Come Shine” and “I Wanna Be Loved.”

One of the production’s pluses is the performance of the award-winning Laiona Michelle (2005 NAACP Hollywood Award, 2004 Barrymore Award), who seems to fit Washington’s persona like a glove. Loud, feisty and both committed and connected to Washington’s sizable musical talent, Michelle steps into her shoes with an assurance and authenticity that channels the singer’s signature style.

Unfortunately, there’s little chemistry between Michelle and the four featured cast members who play multiple roles as various figures in Washington’s life — the disapproving mother, two of her seven husbands, the manager and the hotel boss. Though they turn in adequate performances, there were numerous miscues in the show — always a bit disconcerting, even under the best conditions.

The notable exception comes toward the end of Act II, when Nadiyah S. Dorsey, playing a black hotel worker in this particular scene, belts out “A Rockin’ Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)” and practically brings the house down.

The script has its weaknesses as well. There are many funny one-liners, but it feels as though these humorous tidbits are thrown in without much regard to what line comes next. Also, the seesawing between Washington’s hotel lobby sit-in and key events in her life results in a choppy feeling. And the songs — for the most part, the highlight of the production — do little to move the plot along or help develop any of the characters.

“Dinah Was” runs through March 11 at the Merrimack Repertory Theatre, 132 Warren Street, Lowell. Tickets are $25-$55. For tickets, call 978-654-4MRT or visit www.merrimackrep.org.