'Ethel Waters' Returns to Sarasota's Florida Studio Theatre

Bringing Back a Legend:
FST Reprises Larry Parr's
Ethel Waters: His Eye is on the Sparrow

Florida Studio Theatre has announced that it will reprise one of its
most successful and popular shows.  Larry Parr's Ethel Waters: His Eye is on
the Sparrow will return to FST, playing a limited engagement run in the
Gompertz Theatre, beginning March 30, 2006.

Born in 1896 to a teenage rape victim, Ethel Waters pulled herself out
of abject poverty to become one of the foremost African-American
performers of her generation.  A talented and gifted singer, Waters began performing
on the black vaudeville circuit when she was still in her teens.  She
parlayed this early success into a legendary career that spanned more than seven
decades. 

Waters appeared on Broadway in several shows, including Irving Berlin's
As Thousands Cheer and Cabin in the Sky.  In the 1940s, an older - and
much heavier - Waters reinvented herself as a dramatic actress appearing in
Mamba's Daughters and The Member of the Wedding.  She also appeared in
Pinky, for which she received an Academy Award(r) nomination for Best
Supporting Actress.  

Her later years found Waters semi-retired and living in seclusion.  She
was not idle for long, however, as Billy Graham persuaded her to join his
crusades as a singer.  Waters also penned her autobiography, naming it
after the song with which she was most associated  ("His Eye is on the
Sparrow").  By the time of her death in the late 1970's, Waters no longer resembled
the hot, young singer she once was.  But her voice and her spirit live on
in the many recordings she made.

Jannie Jones will appear as Ethel Waters in the reprise production. 
Jones, along with Chaundra Cameron, originated the role when Ethel Waters: His
Eye is on the Sparrow made its world premiere in October 2005.  Ms. Jones
has appeared in a number of other FST productions including It Ain't
Nothin' But the Blues, Too Darn Hot and The All Night Strut.  Ms. Jones also
originated the role of another influential African-American entertainer, Alberta
Hunter, in Larry Parr's My Castle's Rockin.'

Ethel Waters: His Eyes is on the Sparrow provides a unique challenge
for the actress and director Dennis Courtney because the show is based on the
true-life story of Waters.  "You approach it differently, because it
was a true life and you want to give her due respect," Courtney says.  "You
have to be respectful to the truth of her life.  There are factors that
inform me that come from the truth of her life."

When directing the production, Courtney took into consideration the
real person and how she would respond or act in the given situation.  And
while Courtney approaches every directing job seriously, he says "there is a
responsibility to be authentic and respectful" when the show is about a
real person.

Looking at Waters' life, there were not a lot of options or choices for
an African-American woman, particularly one in her impoverished
circumstances.  But she didn't let the lack of options stop her.  "The inspiration of
this piece is that in order to get to reach your full potential, you have to
keep moving," says Courtney.  "That's the message.  You've got to do it.  It
won't come to you.  Ethel made her own life happen."

Ethel Waters: His Eye is on the Sparrow begins its limited engagement
run March 30, 2006 in the Gompertz Theatre.  Single tickets are $32-34 and
may be purchased from the FST Box Office in person or by calling (941)
366-9000.

Ethel Waters: His Eye is on the Sparrow
Performance Schedule
The Gompertz Theatre

Thursday, March 30 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 31 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 2 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 4 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 5 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 8 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 9 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 13 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 14 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 16 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 18 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 19 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 22 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 23 2:30 p.m.

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