RED VELVET By Lolita Chakrabarti Begins At Southbank Theatre Company In April
Directed by Donna McFadden, this production brings a lesser-known chapter of theatre history into focus, asking questions that still resonate today.
By: A.A. Cristi Apr. 11, 2025
Southbank Theatre Company will present Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti, opening April 24 and running Thursdays through Sundays through May 4.
The play follows the story of Ira Aldridge, a Black American actor who made theatre history in 1833 when he stepped into the role of Othello at London's Covent Garden while the British debated the abolition of slavery.
Set backstage during a volatile moment in British theatre, Red Velvet looks at who is allowed on stage, how audiences respond to change, and what progress really costs. It's a play about performance-onstage and off-and the complicated legacy of artists who break barriers.
Directed by Donna McFadden, this production brings a lesser-known chapter of theatre history into focus, asking questions that still resonate today.
"Red Velvet fits our mission well, and it's a great story!" said Artistic Director Marcia Eppich-Harris. "It not only has a compelling message, but it'll make you think about theatre and how we inherit the problems of history. I absolutely love this play."
Tickets can be obtained at the Shelton Box Office, which opens two hours prior to curtain on the day of the performance ($29 general admission; $24 for students/seniors/military), in advance at the Clowes Memorial Hall Box Office (Wednesday-Friday, 10am-4pm), or online: https://www.butlerartscenter.org/performances/red-velvet/ Note that Ticketmaster fees only apply to purchases online.
About Lolita Chakrabarti
Lolita Chakrabarti OBE is an award-winning playwright and actress. She trained at RADA and has been working as an actor on stage and screen for over thirty years.
Her debut play Red Velvet opened at the Tricycle Theatre before transferring to New York and then London's West End. It earned her the Evening Standard Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright 2012; The Critics' Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright 2013; AWA for Arts and Culture 2013 and an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre 2012. Red Velvet is now on the Drama syllabus for A level and is studied at universities in the UK and USA. Red Velvet has had over forty productions worldwide to date.
About Southbank Theatre Company
Southbank Theatre Company is a nonprofit theatre company dedicated to enriching the Indianapolis community - and beyond - through producing plays and musicals by both Indiana playwrights and playwrights of historical and contemporary significance. What makes us unique are our interests in history, politics, philosophy, and literature - and how those subjects can contribute to critical thinking, self-awareness, and social change.
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