Thursday marked the beginning of the Paul Robeson Theatre’s first production of the year.

“Pill Hill” by Samuel L. Kelley is a story of six childhood friends who grew up in a low-class area of Chicago and aspired to have more when they grew up.

They each worked in a steel mill and had dreams of having white-collar jobs so that they could live in the legendary “Pill Hill”- an area of the most affluent African Americans.

The cast, which consists of six theatre students, played their roles with conviction. The emotion rising from the situations and the intimacy of the characters allowed for a great drama with witty comic relief.

The six men came together every five years. A change in their individual perceptions of life and themselves became more and more evident.

The character Joe, played by Damien Lee, had dreams of moving to Pill Hill, but was so afraid of change that he turned down every opportunity for advancement.

Ed, played by Justin Parmley, explained to Joe, that on a biblical level, he was frozen in his life. Joe was frozen in the past and in complacency, just like Lot’s wife who was killed by turning back to look at what she was leaving behind at Sodom and Gomorrah.

The play was set in Joe’s apartment, which deteriorated throughout the play, figuratively displaying the way his life was wasting away.

Joe’s outlook on life reflected the way many people view their own lives. They look at situations and feel so secure in where they are.

It is that very security that keeps them from doing what they feel in their hearts. And Joe battled within himself throughout the entire play.

He kept saying to his friends, “I’ll do it after I get my first two or three paychecks. “

Even after 10 years, this was still his excuse.

While all of his friends appeared to be doing better, by leaving the steel mill, Joe was still in the shabby basement apartment. He wished he had better.

Ed (Parmley) and Al ,played by Ryan Goldsmith, chose to go to college to make their lives better while Charlie, played by Anthony Marshall, retired from the mill. Tony, played by Stanley Ralph III, chose the salesman route, ultimately marrying a college professor and buying a house from Al in their dream community of Pill Hill.

Ed eventually became a lawyer with an all white firm; Al became a real estate agent and Charlie went back to Mississippi.

Scott, played by Odori Miyako Hines, continued to work at the mill, but during the last five years of the story, it seemed as through he always got mixed up with using and selling drugs.

The characters’ personalities changed throughout the story. Even Scott’s reoccurring question, Where’d you say the bathroom was?” was brilliant in showing his mental state and how he felt about his friends apparent success.

The costumes reflected the times; it was uncanny. Afros were worn in the first and second acts, set in 1973 and 1978, and Jheri Curls were in the last act which was set in 1983.

The musical selections during the intermission matched the scene to represent the era of the play.

Directed by Miller Lucky, Jr. , the play was meant to be inspirational. He wanted to make sure that people aspire to overcome obstacles and do whatever it is that they dream.

The show will run from Oct. 6 through Oct 9.

Call 334-7749 for ticket information and show times.

Candra Whitley contributed to this story.

• Review by Amira Wilson