Ma Rainey's Black Bottom to Return Flint Rep to Elgood Theatre

FIM Flint Repertory Theatre returns to the intimate Elgood Theatre Sept. 18 – Oct. 4 with August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, the acclaimed American classic set in a 1927 Chicago recording studio.

Directed by Flint Rep Associate Artist and recent Emmy Award winner Rico Bruce Wade, the production stars Detroit native Yewande Odetoyinbo as legendary blues singer Ma Rainey and features actors performing music live on stage. It marks Flint Rep's return to the Elgood following a season in residence at the University of Michigan-Flint Theatre.

'August Wilson is not only among the most important Black playwrights of our time, but one of the most significant in the American canon,' says Flint Rep Producing Artistic Director Nicole Samsel of the play's Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning author.

'And Ma Rainey is Wilson at his best. Its themes of racial tensions and cultural ownership, gender and sexuality, and the ways we connect to art and those who make it are as relevant today as ever. It is a privilege to present powerful stories in our intimate theatre and gather with our community in conversation and discovery.'

Inspired by real-life blues legend Gertrude 'Ma' Rainey, the play unfolds during a tense recording session as Ma, her band and the white producers controlling the session clash over ambition, artistry, exploitation and ownership.

Flint Rep puts music at the heart of Wilson's story, blending theatre and live performance as cast members play instruments on stage only feet from the audience.

'As with a great blues tune, this story draws us into unvarnished, authentic joy and sorrow of these characters,' says Wade. 'The play mirrors that blues process of people turning sorrow into sound, the rhythm of work into the rhythm of resistance.

'The play, much like the blues, doesn't just tell the truth. It makes sure that you get it,' he adds.

Wade's previous Flint Rep credits include Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Death of a Salesman, The Boatman and Into the Woods. He recently earned an Emmy Award as writer and director of Sounds From the River.

Odetoyinbo is performing in her home state for the first time since 2009. Her regional credits include The Hills of California at Berkeley Rep and Huntington Theatre Company, Fat Ham at Huntington Theatre Company, FELA! and Macbeth in Stride. An IRNE Award winner and Elliot Norton Award nominee, she trained with Detroit's Mosaic Youth Theatre and holds degrees from Howard University and The Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

Kenn Hopkins Jr. plays Slow Drag. The Flint-area artist, educator and University of Michigan-Flint graduate has performed with American Shakespeare Center, Houston Shakespeare Festival and Flint Youth Theatre. An Actors' Equity Association member, Hopkins is also a hip-hop artist and upright bass player.

Friday, Sept. 25 is College Night, with free admission and pizza from Enzo's with a valid college ID. An American Sign Language-interpreted performance is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27.

Tickets start at $39, including fees, and are available at tickets.thefim.org, at FIM Ticket Center box offices at FIM Whiting Auditorium and FIM Capitol Theatre, or by calling (810) 237-7333. Genesee County residents may purchase tickets starting at $30 as a benefit of the Genesee County Arts Education and Cultural Enrichment Millage.

Event Details

Dates: September 18 - October 4, 2026

Tickets: Starting at $39 / $30 for Genesee County residents (fees included)

Info: thefim.org/event/maraineysblackbottom/

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