‘Blue Door’ teaches an engrossing lesson

A century and a half of African American history summed up in an hour and a half and recounted by two actors? Can such a project possibly be effective?

The answer is a resounding “yes,” as evidenced by the world premiere of “Blue Door” at South Coast Repertory. Not only is it viable and effective, it’s absolutely mesmerizing.

Playwright Tanya Barfield has created a compelling view of the black experience, contrasting earlier years of fervent struggle with the accomplishments of today.

The voices in “Blue Door” are from the past and present, colliding during a sleepless night experienced by Lewis, a modern-day college mathematics professor (Reg E. Cathey) who has become quite satisfied with his stature and accomplishments, to the point where he tends to disregard the work his ancestors did to make possible his prestigious station in life.

These forbears intrude in the form of a single performer (Larry Gilliard Jr.), who traces Lewis’ roots from the days of slavery through the Civil War, Reconstruction, Ku Klux Klan lynchings, segregation, equality protests and the Rodney King riots. It’s a full plate, brimming with passion and defiance.

It is a credit to Barfield’s vision, and the precise direction of Leah C. Gardiner, that both voices carry equal weight, and that one is not intended to shame the other. Cathey espouses his position from a solid, intellectual plane while Gilliard heeds a more visceral muse. Both are given a high degree of credibility.

The starting point is 1995, as Cathey announces his lack of interest in the Million Man March and his wife, who is white, has left him. His life has become theoretical and bloodless, steeped in intellectual isolation. He’s due for a history lesson.

Enter Gilliard, who plays several characters from Lewis’ family tree, beginning with a slave, Simon, who recounts the dehumanization of blacks prior to 1865 and the terror they endured upon gaining their freedom. It is a chilling, awakening narrative.

Gilliard then seamlessly transforms himself into Simon’s son, Jesse, who must deal with redneck Southerners and the KKK, and eventually into Lewis’ younger brother Rex, an outspoken, modern figure. Cathey himself projects his own father, Charles, who is never actually seen but whose influence weighs heavily on both of his sons.

Even as Cathey attempts to distance himself from his predecessors, Gilliard presents them in chronological sequence, tracing their route to Cathey’s privileged existence. Both actors render strong, compelling performances.

Original music permeates the production, with playwright Barfield supplying the lyrics. It’s a point of emphasis, hauntingly delivered at various points in the production.

South Coast Repertory has given birth to a plethora of vital and important plays over the years, including this one and, currently, “The Studio” on the adjacent Segerstrom Stage. With “Blue Door,” the world premiere process acquires an impressive relevance that underscores its importance in the theatrical world.