West End Productions to Present RED VELVET at North Fourth Theatre
The production is directed by Levi Gore, and features Marcus Ivey and more.
RED VELVET, produced by West End Productions, will run at North Fourth Theatre for three weekends from February 13 – March 1, 2025. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:00pm.
Lolita Chakrabarti is a British playwright and actress. This play creates imagined experiences based on a little-known, but true, story. In 1833, there are riots on the streets of London protesting the Slavery Abolition Act. Inside the Theatre Royal, Ira Aldridge is making history. Fresh from dazzling success in the capitals of Europe, he is about to become the first African American actor to play Othello in London, where the play was created. The conflict inside the theater mirrors that on stage and outside: what price will artists pay for their audacity?
The production is directed by Levi Gore, and features Marcus Ivey (Ira Aldridge), well-known on the Albuquerque stages in notable productions, including Bloodknot and The Mountaintop, with Nicee Brown, Versai Knight, Maria Latioloais, Sebastien Moulton, Parker Owen, Philip J. Shortell, and David Yakubik.
In Levi’s own words: “Stories that celebrate exceptional individuals who have shaped our shared history and art, yet remain largely unknown to the general public, have always captivated me. I was drawn to direct RED VELVET because it shines a light on a man whose name, if I’m honest, I barely knew—and I suspect many, even within the theatre world, haven’t heard of him either. It’s a story about the theatre itself: our history, our progress, and the courage it takes to stand by one’s convictions in the face of resistance.
“At its heart, it’s also a memory play—a portrait of a man who spent his life on stage, recalling the moments that defined him. The play feels like a fragmented, fading recollection, as if he’s reaching for something that no longer exists but refuses to let it slip away. It’s a reflection of what we are all attempting to grasp: an art form that, while incredibly impactful, gripping, and dynamic, is by its nature ephemeral and primarily exists only in our hearts and collective memories.”
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