Veils at Nate Holden Performing Arts Center

Restoration Stage is proud to announce the Los Angeles cast of Steven A. Butler, Jr.s Veils, The Musical. Veils, The Musical will be presented at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center after its critically-acclaimed run in Washington, DC."Veils" is produced and directed by Courtney Baker-Oliver ("The Very Last Days of the First Colored Circus" and "Chocolate Covered Ants) and features Ashley Jenkins, Desire' Dubose, Ayana Reed, and Suli Myrie. Rounding out the extraordinary cast are Andrea Gerald, Corisa Myers, Kandace Foreman, Jenna Murphy, and Miles Folley. Justin Thompson is the Musical Director.While much has been written about the men lost in the Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter movements, what has been left unexplored are the stories of the women whose lives are affected by these tragedies-the women who wear the "Veils." This enlightening new piece does just that. Eight women and two men portray a variety of roles-from Sybrina Fulton (mother of Trayvon Martin) and Mamie Till (mother of Emmett) to Jacqueline Kennedy and unsung martyr Viola Liuzzo in this powerful play with music that debuted at the Downtown Urban Arts Festival in New York City last May. John Stoltenberg at DCMetroTheatreArts.com writes: Constant sorrow is the dramatic episodic structure of Veils. Its what holds the work in its arms. Its what holds the work in the audiences heart. Which should come as no surprise, because constant sorrow is what life itself is like for countless women. The surprise is that with Veils two such multitalented African American young men have undertaken this profoundly womanist theme with such deep empathy and authentic respect. This, to my knowledge, is a first in theater history.The production is Executive Produced by Sandra Evers-Manley, founder of the Black Hollywood Education Resource Center. Ronald Lee Newman is the Production Stage Manager. Lighting Design is provided by Jerry M. Dale, Jr. Video and Sound Design is by David Lamont Wilson.

Authors

• Donald Heywood
• Irving Kaye Davis