Gloria Mitchell News

Theatre and Dance at Wayne concludes its 2016-2017 Season with three productions that showcase the scope of the program's dramatic capabilities.

In BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK, now playing at Penumbra Theatre as part of their 'Womansong' season, the title character is a black actress in 1930s Hollywood who gets her big break playing a loyal slave in an antebellum Southern melodrama. She imbues the stereotypical role with as much humanity and depth as possible, and so begins a long and successful career, until she mysteriously disappears from the spotlight. Vera is a controversial figure because on the one hand her characters perpetuate the stereotypes seen in movies, but on the other hand she makes her characters as real as possible and has built a successful career for herself and opened doors for black actors in Hollywood. The play examines these issues in a funny, entertaining, innovative way, jumping across time and using video of Vera's first movie.

dance Immersion proudly presents Queens Calling, a celebration of sisterhood, kinship and womanhood from eight dynamic and diverse female choreographers from across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. This powerful performance is part of TD Bank's Then and Now Series for Black History Month, and runs this weekend, February 6-7, 2015 at Harbourfront Centre Theatre (formerly Enwave Theatre).

Leading up to February's Black History Month, dance Immersion is announcing the programming details for its 2015 Showcase Presentation: Queens Calling, a celebration of sisterhood, kinship and womanhood by eight diverse female choreographers from across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. Dedicated to the 219 girls tragically abducted from a boarding school in Chibok, Nigeria, this powerful evening of dance is also part of TD Bank's Then and Now Series for Black History Month, and runsFebruary 6-7 at Harbourfront Centre Theatre (formerly Enwave Theatre).

Leading up to February's Black History Month, dance Immersion is announcing the programming details for its 2015 Showcase Presentation: Queens Calling, a celebration of sisterhood, kinship and womanhood by eight diverse female choreographers from across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.

dance Immersion proudly presents Queens Calling, a celebration of sisterhood, kinship and womanhood from eight dynamic and diverse female choreographers from across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. This powerful performance is part of TD Bank's Then and Now Series for Black History Month, and runs February 6-7, 2015 at Harbourfront Centre Theatre (formerly Enwave Theatre).

dance Immersion presents Queens Calling, a celebration of sisterhood, kinship and womanhood from eight dynamic and diverse female choreographers from across Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. This powerful performance is part of TD Bank's Then and Now Series for Black History Month, and runs February 6-7, 2015 at Harbourfront Centre Theatre (formerly Enwave Theatre).

In By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, acclaimed dramatist Lynn Nottage (winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Ruined), has illuminated the irony and hurtful absurdity of the Black struggle in Depression-era Hollywood to break the chains of racial stereotyping and to land good roles with good lines. iTheatre Collaborative, a gem of a company in the heart of Phoenix boldly stages this play under the direction of Charles St. Clair and with a cast that artfully commands the stage. Nicole Belit is exquisite, endowing Vera with elegance, grace, and the self-assurance that was required to leap from handmaiden to film star.

Everyman Theatre began rehearsals today for the 2014/15 season opener, The Understudy. Theresa Rebeck's comedic look into the backstage world of show biz runs from August 27th through September 28th. The three-person cast features Everyman Resident Company Members Clinton Brandhagen, Danny Gavigan and Beth Hylton. Joseph W. Ritsch makes his Everyman directorial debut with the production.

By the Way, Meet Vera Stark opened on Saturday night June 7 at the Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. The play written by Lynn Nottage takes place in 1930's Hollywood, where Vera Stark is a black housekeeper for a Hollywood starlet. Directed by Missy Koonce, Vera Stark lands a part in a movie starring her white boss Gloria Mitchell. What happens in the next two acts are the hilarious relationships of Stark, Mitchell, and the other characters in the cast over a 75-year journey.

The comedy about Hollywood stereotypes, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark comes to the Unicorn Theatre tonight, June 4, with opening night on June 7. Missy Koonce directs the Unicorn production written by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage. Nottage won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2009 for her play Ruined. At the time, she wrote Ruined she was working on a second project, which ended up being By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.

The comedy about Hollywood stereotypes, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark comes to the Unicorn Theatre June 4, with opening night on June 7. Missy Koonce directs the Unicorn production written by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage. Nottage won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2009 for her play Ruined. At the time, she wrote Ruined she was working on a second project, which ended up being By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.

Hailed as 'flat-out funny!' by the Hollywood Reporter, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark makes its Baltimore/DC premiere at Everyman Theatre, running from today, April 16th through May 11th. Resident Company Member Dawn Ursula will play the title role of Vera Stark, alongside fellow Company Members Beth Hylton and Wil Love. Walter Dallas makes his Everyman directorial debut with the regional premiere.

Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage does it again with great comedy.

Hailed as 'flat-out funny!' by the Hollywood Reporter, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark makes its Baltimore/DC premiere at Everyman Theatre, running from today, April 16th through May 11th.

Earlier this season Houston was introduced to Lynn Nottage with a production of RUINED. Now, The Ensemble Theatre is putting this playwright on everyone's must watch list with a sterling production of her 2011 play, BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK. This intellectual comedy powerfully explores the legacy of American-Americans in 1930s Hollywood and leaves audiences with plenty to think and talk about.

Hailed as 'flat-out funny!' by the Hollywood Reporter, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark makes its Baltimore/DC premiere at Everyman Theatre, running from April 16th through May 11th. Resident Company Member Dawn Ursula will play the title role of Vera Stark, alongside fellow Company Members Beth Hylton and Wil Love. Walter Dallas makes his Everyman directorial debut with the regional premiere.

The REP, Point Park University's professional theatre company, continues its compelling 2013-2014 season with Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage's Hollywood satire, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.

The REP, Point Park University's professional theatre company, continues its compelling 2013-2014 season with Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage's Hollywood satire, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.