FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR's Janet Hubert To Star In A Virtual Reading Of CHICKEN AND BISCUITS To Benefit Next Wave Initiative

Janet Hubert, best known to television audiences as "Aunt Viv" on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, will star as Baneatta Mabry in a virtual reading of Douglas Lyons' family comedy, CHICKEN AND BISCUITS on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 8:00p.m. All proceeds from the reading will directly benefit Lyons' Next Wave Initiative, a new developmental branch of The Directors Company committed to amplifying future Black voices in The American Theatre through scholarships and community engagement.

Produced in partnership with 59E59 Theaters (Val Day, Artistic Director; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) and The Directors Company, the evening will be directed Zhailon Levingston (Tina).Tickets are now on sale at www.59e59.org. Following the live reading on February 27, the captured performance will remain available to stream on-demand to ticket holders through March 3. Full casting yet to be announced.

In CHICKEN AND BISCUITS, Baneatta and Beverly attempt to put their sisterly differences aside to bury their father, Bernard. All is well at the funeral until it's revealed that Bernard had not just two daughters, but three. Wig pins loosen, as truths emerge, leaving this African-American family to confront their skeletons head on; naturally with lots of love, shade, and prayer along the way. The world premiere of CHICKEN AND BISCUITS opened at Queens Theatre on March 6, 2020, closing early due to the Covid-19.

Douglas Lyons is an actor, writer, director, composer, and playwright. Writing - TV: Fraggle Rock (Apple TV). Theater: Polkadots(Off Broadway Alliance Winner Best Family Show, Atlantic Theater Company), Chicken and Biscuits (Queens Theatre), Sunshine (Long Wharf Theatre), Pete(Her)Pan (Pace New Musicals), Five Points(world premiere Theater Latte Da), now directed by Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler, Fatigue with Jodi Piccoult, We The People (TheatreworksUSA) and The Hamlet Remix. Acting - Broadway: Beautiful (Original Cast) and The Book of Mormon. Tours: Rent, Dreamgirls and The Book of Mormon 1st National. Douglas is also the founder of The Next Wave Initiative, a scholarship program dedicated to supporting the future of Black Theater artists. @chocolatehipster