The Human Race Theater Opens HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW
The Human Race Theatre Company will bring a new musical about the rags-to-riches life of one of the 20th century's most acclaimed performers to The Loft Theatre in June. Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow tells Waters' story, from birth to a 13-year old mother in a Philadelphia slum, through massive trials and travails, to becoming a star of nightclubs, recordings, Broadway, film and the Billy Graham Crusade.
While His Eye Is On The Sparrow presents a happy opportunity for local audiences to see a fine new work, one that includes such massive hits for Waters as the title song and "Stormy Weather," the event that led to its selection is a sad one. August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean, part of the late playwright's famed Pittsburgh Cycle, had been scheduled for June, but will not be performed.
"I chose Gem of the Ocean because August Wilson is a brilliant writer, because the script is a beautiful and poetic journey, and because I was very excited to return Sheila Ramsey to our stage," says Human Race Artistic Director Marsha Hanna. "Sheila is a founding artist of the company and has performed, taught and directed throughout the community. Unfortunately, she has been given some immense medical challenges from which she is still recovering. I would rather postpone the production than to place a goal which might frustrate her progress, and I don't want to produce Gem without Sheila."
The replacement for Gem is a fascinating story, not only of a life rising from extreme poverty to fame, but of a life view that rose from extreme bitterness to a love for all - or at least all but the occasional director with whom Waters disagreed.
Joan Shepard, who just appeared in The Human Race production of Over the Tavern, worked with Waters when Shepard was still in high school and Waters was the star of the Broadway production of Member of the Wedding, in a role for which she would win her second Oscar nomination in the film version. Shepard says that at the time - 1950 - Waters was in transition from bitterness to caring.
"Miss Waters loved Julie," says Shepard, referring to Julie Harris, who was Waters' co-star in both the Broadway and movie productions. She was kind to Shepard as well, eventually insisting to west coast producers that Shepard play the Julie Harris role of Frankie if they wanted Waters to appear.
Waters was also becoming a little more flexible, says Shepard. The star at first refused the director's instruction to sing during Member of the Wedding, saying, "It's a cheap theatrical stunt, and I'm here as a straight dramatic actress." But when the scene came up in rehearsal, she began to softly sing "His Eye is on The Sparrow," which became part of the show and a famous moment in stage history.
Sparrow will replace Gem as the final show of the 2008-2009 Eichelberger Loft Season. Subscribers' tickets to Gem will be honored for Sparrow. Single tickets are available by calling (937) 228-3630 or toll-free (888) 228-360, or by visiting www.humanraethatre.org, where they can also find out more about the show, the season, and The Human Race Theatre.
More information about Waters' amazing life may be found at such sites as www.jazzateria.com/roots/ewaters.html and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethel_Waters.
Founded in 1986, The Human Race Theatre Company moved to the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence at the 219-seat Loft Theatre. In addition to the Eichelberger Loft Season, The Human Race produces for the Victoria Theatre's Broadway Series, the Musical Theatre Workshop series, and special event programming. The Human Race, under the direction of Artistic Director Marsha Hanna and Executive Director Kevin Moore, also maintains education and outreach programs for children, teens and adults, as well as artist residencies in area schools, The Muse Machine In-School Tour, Youth Summer Stock, and The Human Race Conservatory. Human Race organizational support is provided by Culture Works, Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District, Shubert Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
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