MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM to be Presented at A Noise Within
Directed by Gregg T. Daniel, performances begin August 29 at A Noise Within's Pasadena home and continue through September 20.
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Continuing its long-term commitment to the work of August Wilson, A Noise Within will present Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, the seventh of the 10 plays in Wilson's landmark American Century Cycle to be produced by the company. Directed by Gregg T. Daniel, performances begin August 29 at A Noise Within's Pasadena home and continue through September 20. Four preview performances begin August 23.
Inspired by real-life Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, this groundbreaking work was the first of Wilson's plays to reach Broadway, where it received the 1984 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play. Filled with humor, heart, music and some of the most electrifying dialogue ever written for the stage, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is more than just a classic; it’s a powerful conversation that asks the question: Who gets to decide whose voice matters?
Set during a 1927 recording session in Chicago, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom transforms an ordinary afternoon into a volatile clash over race, art, power and ownership. As legendary blues singer Ma Rainey battles white producers determined to control both her music and her career, ambitious trumpeter Levee dreams of a future beyond the band. Their competing visions ignite tensions that build toward one of Wilson's most devastating finales.
As A Noise Within moves closer to completing Wilson's ten-play cycle, the productions have fostered an ensemble of artists deeply immersed in his work. Four members of the Ma Rainey cast, including Kai A. Ealy, Bert Emmett, Alex Morris and Gerald C. Rivers, return after appearing in previous Wilson productions at the theater. ANW resident artist Amber Liekhus stars in the title role, with ANW newcomer Jamar Gilbert taking on the role of Levee. Joining them are Francis Edemobi, Matt Foyer, Jim Nardini and CJ Obilom.
The Ma Rainey creative team includes scenic designer Tesshi Nakagawa; lighting designer Ken Booth; sound designer Jeff Gardner; Costume Designer Christine Cover Ferro; wig and makeup designer Shelia Dorn; properties designer Stephen Taylor; music director Byron Smith; choreographer Joyce Guy; fight choreographer Ken Merck; dialect coach Andrea Odinov; and dramaturg Dr. Miranda Johnson-Haddad. The production stage manager is Sami Hansen, with Bryan Tiglio assisting.
Taken as a whole, the ten plays in Wilson’s monumental cycle span a period of 90 years, from Gem of the Ocean in 1904 to Radio Golf in 1997. With its Chicago setting, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is the only play in the series that doesn’t take place in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, where Wilson himself grew up. The 10 plays were not written sequentially, so are not connected in the manner of a serial story. Each play stands alone.
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