THE LAST NIGHT OF JOSEPHINE BAKER Open

Esurient Arts and Vincent Victoria Presents collaborate to present the world premiere of THE LAST NIGHT OF JOSEPHINE BAKER. The play, written by Vincent Victoria, opens February 24 at Midtown Arts Center and continues through March 5.

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THE LAST NIGHT OF JOSEPHINE BAKER gives a fictional account of what may have happened on the last night of the life of the first African American international superstar.

Baker, who created a sensation in Paris during the 1920's, was in the midst of a grand comeback in 1975 when she died suddenly at the age of 69 after the opening of her show "Josephine" at The Bobino Theater in Paris.

During the play Baker will interact with some of her famous friends including Princess Grace of Monaco and the poet Langston Hughes and include flashbacks of her life as she reminisces about her career in her hotel suite after what would be her last performance.

Playwright Vincent Victoria says, "Most people who know of Baker only think of her in terms of the girl with the banana skirt on, but she was a brilliant entertainer with a long varied career who refused to limited by the racial attitudes of the time and was the entertainment progenitor to more modern stars like Diana Ross, Tina Turner and Beyonce. I want to show Baker at the end of her life still youthful, still defiant and yet still insecure as a celebrated performer."

Vincent Victoria Presents develops and presents new plays about forgotten stories from the rich history of African Americans and peoples of color. And Esurient Arts presents live performances, films, and art exhibitions exploring under represented stories while making quality arts based training more accessible. Visit esurientarts.com to learn more about the company.

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Performances are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 4 p.m. Sunday, February 26. The Sunday performance features a post-show talk back with the playwright and cast. For more information, call 832-856-1292 or visit esurientarts.com/new-products/ticket-the-last-night-of-josephine-baker. $25

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