MIRACLE'S BOYS

Lafayette has to share his bedroom with the older brother he calls "New Charlie." Seems like the brother he knew and loved didn't come back from his stretch in the reformatory. This guy is more like a stranger than a brother. But now that Mama's dead, being able to stay in their NYC apartment with oldest brother Ty'ree hinges on whether or not Charlie can stay out of trouble. It might look grim for this family, but there's a lot of heart and warmth in this reading by Dulé Hill. Hill, who ironically plays a young man named Charlie on the TV drama "The West Wing," brings all three brothers to life in a low-key, boys-in-the-'hood performance that lets listeners feel the pain without ever losing hope. M.C. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 02]