Basketball & Drama at SF Playhouse

How do you drag yourself out of the clutches of poverty and into a better life? You have to be extraordinary at something, and you have to want it with your entire being. No one knows this better than Starra Jones (Santeon Brown) in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Flex.” Set in the fictional town of rural Plainnole, Arkansas, Starra is part of the Lady Train, the high school’s basketball team. Every year, one of the players becomes pregnant, ending her career on the court and her hopes of being picked up by a good college. This year it is April (Camille Collaço), who, despite being given the OK to play, has been sidelined. For a team pinning its future on winning the state tournament, this is a devastating blow.

“Flex,” written by Candrice Jones, drops us straight into basketball lingo, and with audience participation encouraged, it becomes both a sporting event and a voyeur’s view into the lives of these girls as they struggle to find their way. Bill English’s set effectively evokes the feeling of being in a high school gym. Brown shows off impressive athletic skill, and Emmanuel Blackwell, tapped as a basketball consultant, makes a visible impact.

Funny and instantly relatable, the friends each have their own journey. Starra is cocky and certain of her talent, often speaking to her deceased mother about her hopes, eyes turned upward. Donna (Courtney Gabrielle Williams) is a lesbian and headed to college. April is debating abortion and, as Donna succinctly puts it, “They get mad if you make the baby ’cause the babies cause so many problems, but they get even madder if you say you don’t want the baby.” Cherise (Emma Gardner), Donna’s secret romantic partner, leans into religion and believes baptism is the answer. Sidney (Paige Mayes) is Starra’s biggest competition on the team and hails from Oakland. Coach Pace (Halili Knox) leads the team and provides a needed parental presence.

From start to finish, the drama is heaped on in generous portions, so much so that it can become difficult to feel shock or surprise after a while. From sexual abuse and closeted sexuality to rivalry, betrayal, and the thrill of the game itself, the material is both compelling and, at times, overwhelming. Under Margo Hall’s direction, the story and its players, along with their triumphs and setbacks, cohere into a focused narrative. As a story about basketball, it naturally invites the audience to root for favorites, and we do. Jones frames the intensity of growing up within the rules of the game, and through determination and smarts, these young women find a way to win.

“Flex” runs through May 2 at San Francisco Playhouse.