If I try to describe Pearl Cleage’s 2010 play, “The Nacirema Society,” to you, there’s a good chance that you’re going to go in expecting something quite different from what you’ll get.

For example, if I tell you that it takes place in 1964 Montgomery, Ala., while civil rights activists are being murdered in neighboring Mississippi and the city is months away from “Bloody Sunday,” when police beat up marchers outside Selma, you may expect a historical drama about the struggle for equality.

But no: It’s a comedy about Black aristocrats preparing for their annual debutantes’ ball and the 100th anniversary of their fraternal organization for the elite families of southern Black culture. So you might think it a satire about oblivious people too wrapped up in themselves to have any interest in changing history.

And that’s not really right, either. Oh, there’s a touch of that here and there, but what Cleage has created is actually a combination of screwball romantic comedy and a vintage farce full of mistakes, misunderstandings and the best laid plans going raucously awry.

Dedra D. Woods (Marie Dunbar), Joy Dolo (Janet Logan), Nubia Monks (Gracie Dunbar), Greta Oglesby (Grace Dubose Dunbar) and Regina Marie Williams (Catherine Adams Green) in “The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years.” (Dan Norman / Guthrie Theater)

In the Guthrie Theater’s production, you’ll find an expertly executed comedy, driven by nine splendidly sculpted performances and the kind of taut direction this type of controlled chaos needs, courtesy of Valerie Curtis-Newton. Played out on an elegant, multi-tiered Takeshi Kata set on the Guthrie’s thrust stage, it’s a tremendously enjoyable show that might go on a little longer than ideal, but offers a welcome balm of laughter amid troubling times.

Something of a takeoff on a similar southern society called the Emanon Society, the Nacirema Society is all about establishing a standard of excellence, even if it’s more about keeping up appearances and maintaining a social pecking order than actually helping anyone accomplish anything.

As for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and those fighting segregation, they’re viewed with a wary eye by these elites, who haven’t quite grasped that you can’t say you participated in the mid-’50s Montgomery bus boycotts if you’ve never set foot on a city bus in your life.

Greta Oglesby (Grace Dubose Dunbar), Nubia Monks (Gracie Dunbar) and Dedra D. Woods (Marie Dunbar) in the Guthrie Theater’s production of “The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years.” The show runs through May 25 at the Minneapolis theater. (Dan Norman / Guthrie Theater)

As preparations for the annual cotillion are underway, several subplots intertwine to throw things into comical disarray. There’s a blackmail plot involving the society’s founder, secrets ending up in the wrong ears, scandalizing letters in the wrong hands, a New York Times reporter showing up, and the cotillion’s king and queen considering chucking all this confining tradition to pursue other dreams. And yes, there’s a love story, too.

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Although she’s sometimes too quiet for the Guthrie’s expansive space, Greta Oglesby nevertheless commands the stage as the society’s imperious doyenne, Grace Dunbar. Meanwhile, Nubia Monks is magnetic and marvelous as her high-energy, Supremes-loving teenage granddaughter, Gracie.

And what a hoot to have Regina Marie Williams show off her too-seldom-seen comic chops as the sherry-swilling bundle of anxiety entrusted with defusing a potential scandal. They’re complemented well by eminently believable portrayals from Aimee K. Bryant, Dedra D. Woods and Darrick Mosley.

Throughout, Cleage’s script is full of wit, careening from one pithy bon mot and snappy rejoinder to another. And this cast delivers it all with crackerjack comic timing and vivid characterizations, making this an unexpectedly inspired comedy.

Rob Hubbard can be reached at wordhub@yahoo.com.

‘The Nacirema Society’

When: Through May 25

Where: Guthrie Theater, 818 Second St. S., Mpls.

Tickets: $92-$17.50, available at 612-377-2224 or guthrietheater.org

Capsule: Into a serious setting steps a silly and very enjoyable romantic comedy.

By DAVID BAUDER

“60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley paid tribute Sunday to Bill Owens, the show’s executive producer who resigned last week, saying on the air that “none of us is happy” about the extra supervision that corporate leaders are imposing.

Pelley made his comments at the end of the evening’s CBS News telecast, saying that in quitting, Owens proved he was the right person for the job.

“It was hard on him and it was hard on us,” Pelley said. “But he did it for us — and you.”

His on-air statement was an unusual peek behind the scenes at the sort of inner turmoil that viewers seldom get the opportunity to see.

Owens, only the third top executive in the 57-year history of television’s most influential newscast, resigned last week, saying he no longer felt he had the independence to run the program as he had in the past, and felt necessary.

CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, is in the midst of a merger with Skydance Media that needs the approval of the Trump administration. Trump has sued “60 Minutes” for $20 billion, saying it unfairly edited a Kamala Harris interview last fall to her advantage. Owens and others at “60 Minutes” believe they did nothing wrong and have opposed a settlement.

An extra look at “60 Minutes” stories before they air

As a result, Pelley explained to viewers on Sunday, Paramount has begun to supervise “60 Minutes” stories in new ways. Former CBS News President Susan Zirinsky, a longtime news producer, has reportedly been asked to look at the show’s stories before they air.

“None of our stories has been blocked,” Pelley said. “But Bill felt he lost the independence that honest journalism requires. No one here is happy about it. But in resigning, Bill proved he was the right person to lead ‘60 Minutes’ all along.”

Despite this, “60 Minutes” has done tough stories about the Trump administration almost every week since the inauguration in January, many of them reported by Pelley. On Sunday, “60 Minutes” correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi had the latest, interviewing scientists about cutbacks at the National Institutes for Health.

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Trump was particularly angered by the show’s telecast two weeks ago, saying on social media that CBS News should “pay a big price” for going after him.

___

David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social

Anthony Edwards is in no way afraid of LeBron James. Not in the slightest. He proved that much midway through Game 4 on Sunday afternoon at Target Center.

After igniting a run shortly before halftime to help the Timberwolves close the gap on the Los Angeles Lakers, Edwards made his presence felt when James tried to play some bully ball on the other end.

In that moment, Edwards stood up to James, literally and figuratively, shoving him a few times too many, which resulted in him getting called for a foul that was very much deserved. What message was he trying to send?

“Just letting him know that we here,” Edwards said. “You ain’t just going to push around.”

Fittingly, the Timberwolves embodied that mentality as they chased down the Lakers to earn a 116-113 win. They showed absolutely no fear in the final minutes with Edwards leading the charge.

“He just took over,” Chris Finch said. “He’s a special player and he had a special night.”

That might be putting it lightly.

It was an otherworldly performance by Edwards as he finished with 43 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. He did everything required of him to lead the Timberwolves to a win, whether it was nailing stepback jumpers, making the right read out of the double team, and getting to the free throw line at will.

The performance from Edwards was a continuation in his growth as a player. He’s taken his game to the next level so far in the playoffs. Especially when the chips are on the table.

“He’s been real meticulous with what he’s doing late in the games,” Mike Conley said. “He’s taking his time, really sizing up the defense, and understanding where guys are going to be on the court.”

Though certainly got some help from Julius Randle, who finished with 25 points, Jaden McDaniels, who finished with 15 points, and Naz Reid, who finished with 12 points, Edwards was consistently the best player on the court.

As good as he was at various points throughout the game, however, Edwards saved his best for last when his teammates needed him most.

With the Timberwolves trailing by 10 points with 12 minutes to play, Edwards refused to let them lose. He went nuclear from beyond the arc for a brief stretch and finishing 16 points in the final frame alone.

On the other end, James looked every bit of 40 years old, running out of gas down the stretch after playing near the entire game. He failed to score a point in the final frame and spent most possessions camping in the corner trying to catch his breath.

“I felt like they was gassed,” Edwards said. “Just tried to keep my foot on the pedal.”

The juxtaposition of the performance from Edwards and the performance from James sure felt like a passing of the torch.

Though he isn’t necessarily the best player in the league — not with Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic still very much at the peak of their powers — Edwards is starting to come into his own as the next face of it.

“When it comes winning time the dude knows how to win,” Donte DiVincenzo said. “That’s flat out what it comes down to.”

That’s a perfect way to describe Edwards. Just like it was a perfect way to describe James once upon a time.

“I just try to take advantage of every opportunity because I’ve been dreaming of this all my life,” Edwards said. “Just trying to prove I belong and to all my haters and people that criticize me that I’m better than they think.”

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The Timberwolves took a massive body blow in the third quarter of Game 4 Sunday at Target Center.

The Lakers, trailing 2-1 in the series and with two days off before Wednesday’s Game 5, were going for a game they had to have.

Trailing by three at the break, Los Angeles finally opened the second half with its best lineup – Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith and Rui Hachimura – and rode it all the way to the finish line.

Twenty-four minutes, zero substitutions. It was a home-run swing, and the Lakers made good contact in the third quarter. They out-scored Minnesota by 13 in the frame to claim a 10-point lead going into the fourth and put themselves in good shape to even up the series heading back to Los Angeles.

Right where the Wolves wanted them. Just when you think you have the Wolves beat, that’s when you don’t. No one throws a better counterpunch than Minnesota.

Anthony Edwards delivered one hell of a haymaker on Sunday at Target Center.

Perhaps it was a knockout punch on the Lakers’ campaign.

Edwards scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to go with four rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot to bring Minnesota all the way back for a 116-113 victory over the Lakers.

The Wolves now lead the best-of-7 series 3-1, with Game 5 set for 9 p.m. Central on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

“There wasn’t any panic. It’s been a hallmark of this team in the second half of the season. There’s been no panic,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “We’ve been down a bunch, even in the first half of the season we were down a lot through not the greatest of play and then we’d come back.”

This, in fact, was Minnesota’s seventh win this season when trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter, which is tied for most in the NBA. They’ve done it against the best teams, too.

The Wolves were down by 24 to Oklahoma City in the fourth, they rallied from 16 down in the final five minutes against Houston.

The wolf is most dangerous when it’s backed into the corner. Particularly when the leader of the pack is so daring and fearless. Edwards drilled a couple triples right in the eyes of the Lakers at the beginning of the final frame to draw Minnesota back into the fight.

The guard finished with 43 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

By game’s end, Edwards was in attack mode, often driving to draw attention before hitting others. In the final four minutes, Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo and Jaden McDaniels all had key buckets.

McDaniels’ slam and the ensuing free throw after he was fouled with 40 seconds left put Minnesota up one. McDaniels then collected a steal on the ensuing possession and Edwards went to the line and buried a couple free throw with 11 seconds left to put Minnesota up three.

The Lakers generated a great look to tie the game at the horn, but Austin Reaves’ triple clanked off the iron, and Minnesota’s latest comeback bore valuable fruit.

Even on a day when Doncic scored 38 points, James had 27 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks and three steals and Hachimura canned five triples.

“Super proud of the way we responded. They got a team over there that doesn’t quit. They got guys with championship experience and have been in many of those games before and found ways to win,” Wolves guard Mike Conley said. “For us to get guys chipping in, in different parts of that comeback – Naz him being subbed in (late) and doing what he did. Donte making big plays. Ant making the right reads. Julius as well. Jaden. Everybody came up there to get the right moments.”

Randle, who finished with 25 points and seven boards, said he was confident Minnesota could wear the Lakers down. That didn’t necessarily happen with bodies. Like Los Angeles’ five, Edwards also played the whole half, and McDaniels nearly did.

But they did so with relentless defensive pressure. Minnesota pressured the ball and was on top of its rotations over the final 12 minutes, as it held the Lakers to 28% shooting.

“The guys always have a belief they can come back,” Finch said. “We just had to figure out some things defensively. That was the biggest thing to solve at the quarter break. They were getting loose in the middle of the floor and using that as an opportunity to pick us apart from the 3-point line.”

The Wolves simply kept coming, and eventually proved to be too much for the Lakers.

“I think it’s just from us being here so many times, being in the playoffs, we gotta stay together and when we do stay together we can come back from big leads,” McDaniels said. “Like last year (in Game 7 in Denver). So, just a big lead is never enough to just stop playing, sit down and (not) compete anymore.”

If Minnesota has proven anything this year, it’s that it will not lay down. If you want to beat the Wolves, you’ll have to do so for 48 minutes.

The Lakers – LeBron, Luka and all – came up 12 short on Sunday.

“Says a lot about us and who we are,” Conley said. “Just happy to see this team find a way.”

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