GLADYS to Receive First Public Reading at Firehouse Theatre

GLADYS, a new original musical inspired by the extraordinary life of Harlem Renaissance entertainer Gladys Bentley, will receive its first public developmental reading at Firehouse Theatre in Richmond, Virginia, on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 12:00 p.m., as part of the theatre's First Drafts & Bagels series.

Written by Richmond composer, lyricist, and playwright Jason Marks, GLADYS explores the life and legacy of one of the most daring and unconventional performers of the twentieth century-a powerhouse pianist and blues singer who rose to fame during the Harlem Renaissance while performing in her signature white tuxedo and top hat.

Set against the changing cultural landscape of America from the 1920s through the 1950s, GLADYS follows Bentley from her arrival in Harlem as a teenager through her meteoric rise as one of the era's most celebrated nightclub entertainers. As social attitudes shift around her, Bentley is forced to navigate fame, family, identity, faith, love, and an increasingly restrictive America while confronting the question at the heart of the musical: What happens when the world demands that you become someone other than yourself in order to survive?

The original score draws from blues, jazz, gospel, and traditional musical theatre while tracing Bentley's journey across more than three decades of American cultural history.

Marks spent several years researching Bentley's life and career while developing the musical, drawing upon historical accounts, interviews, newspaper coverage, photographs, and Bentley's own writings.

The November presentation will be directed by Richmond Theatre Community Circle (RTCC) Artsie Award winner Shanea Taylor and will feature a company of Richmond-area theatre artists. The developmental reading will incorporate live performance and musical elements from the evolving score.

Following the reading, audience members will be invited to participate in a post-show discussion and provide feedback as the musical continues its development.

The presentation is part of First Drafts & Bagels, Firehouse Theatre's program offering audiences an opportunity to experience new theatrical works while they are still in development.