Please Underestimate Me at Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, Olney Theatre Center

Please Underestimate Me is a one-woman show starring TV personality, author, chef, and restaurateur Carla Hall in her first professional stage role. Hall co-wrote the autobiographical script with Lori Kaye and Leslie Thomas, tracing her life from her Tennessee roots through Howard University, a stint on the runways of Paris, and her career in food and television. The show explores themes of resilience, identity, and authenticity, including her experiences with racism, sexism, and the pressures of Black excellence. The production is directed by Helen Hayes Award-winner Lili-Anne Brown and was developed at Olney Theatre as part of its Vanguard Arts Fund.