Playwright Dominique Morisseau has won acclaim, and awards, for her work, which has been hailed for its authenticity and exploration of racism and the Black experience, often providing humor along with social commentary. Some of that mix comes through in Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s current production of the second in a trilogy of Morisseau plays set in her native Detroit, Paradise Blue.

The five-character play takes place in 1949 in the city’s Black Bottom neighborhood, rich with the history of Black Americans but facing gentrification or even eradication at this point in time. Developers are eager to take over with projects that will destroy the life, community and traditions of those who have long resided there, and Paradise jazz club owner Blue (Al’Jaleel McGhee) is torn between selling his property and moving on, and keeping the ties that bind him to the neighborhood.

Among those ties are the members of his jazz combo, pianist Corn (Terry Spann) and drummer P-Sam (Leon Pitts II), along with Blue’s loyal, gentle girlfriend/cook/housekeeper Pumkin (Amber Myers). Things are already tense at the play’s opening, because Blue has parted ways with his group’s bass player, to the other musicians’ dismay.

But the situation grows even more uneasy with the arrival of a mysterious woman named Silver (Stephanie Zandra), who slithers into the club like a snake into Eden. What does she want, and what will she do to get it? And who and what will be harmed if they get in her way?

Slowly, more is revealed about each character, especially Silver and Blue, who has a troubled past that haunts him. While Morisseau has a gift for dialogue—her people speak the way you believe they would, if a bit more poetically—in this production, at least (under director Chuck Smith), it takes a long time for the drama to build.

It’s understandable that Morisseau and Smith want to create the proper mood here, especially given the importance of the occasional insertions of jazzy music excerpts. But the pacing can feel languorous, like it’s not really building (until we get very close to the climax). And Blue’s repeated noodling around with a mournful trumpet solo becomes almost monotonous, instead of feeling highly significant. (This show features pre-recorded music, including from trumpeter Victor Mongillo.)

There are good moments between cast members where we glimpse their wants and hurts, and Morisseau leavens her play’s moodiness with welcome humor. But I didn’t find myself feeling emotions as deeply as I wanted to.

Still, I’m glad WBTT has included newer works by contemporary Black playwrights in their season mix, and hope they continue to.

For tickets to Paradise Blue, call (941) 366-1505 or go to westcoastblacktheatre.org.