Unfinished Women Cry In No Man’s Land While A Bird Dies In A Gilded Cage at Camden Repertory Theater

Camden Repertory Theater celebrates Black History Month with an immersive production of Aishah Rahman’s rarely produced underground classic, boasting a live jazz band and presented in Camden Rep’s unique venue — a typical New Jersey row house with only 20 seats. On March 12, 1955, the same day that virtuoso jazz saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker is dying in the plush boudoir of his wealthy European patroness, the spirited teenagers in the Hide-a-Wee Home for Unwed Mothers (the “unfinished women”) must decide whether to keep their babies or put them up for adoption. The Bird is trapped in lost dreams of the past, while the young women look to the possibilities of the future. Mixing poetry and live music into a rich tapestry of longing and love, Unfinished Women possesses a rare and haunting lyricism not soon forgotten. Feb. 1 – March 25; Camden Repertory Theater, 445 Mechanic St., Camden, NJ 08104; $20; (856) 438-8430; www.camdenrep.com.