FANCY MAIDS To Return For One-Night-Only Fundraiser Reading at Molloy Studios
The reading will star Alexandria Reese (Idabelle), Chinara Stroman (Queenie), Sharaé Moultrie (Louella) and more.
Fancy Maids will return for a one-night-only fundraiser reading on Saturday, December 13 at 2:00 PM in Manhattan. All proceeds from the event will go toward the development of the upcoming film adaptation of the piece.
Set in 1853, Fancy Maids follows a group of women who have sacrificed everything to escape slavery in the antebellum South. When one of their pasts comes back to haunt them, the women find themselves tempted by violence and forced to reconcile with their trauma.
The reading will star Alexandria Reese (Idabelle), Chinara Stroman (Queenie), Sharaé Moultrie (Louella), LaDawn Taylor (Pinky), Rayna Nakai Johnson (Tweet), Reed Pike (William), and Isaac J. Conner (Richard).
After premiering at The Bridge Theater in 2018, Fancy Maids went on to receive Outstanding Play and two Outstanding Actor Awards at Ken Davenport's Rave Theater Festival, followed by an acclaimed production at Walkerspace in 2023. The play was also published by Stage Rights in 2021.
The award-winning playwright, Harold Hodge Jr, stated that he felt today's political climate compelled him to adapt his play for the screen. "I first penned the play in 2017, inspired by the Me Too Movement," said Hodge. "I wanted to tell a story that centered Black Women in the conversation of bodily autonomy in America. Scarily enough, each time we've done the show since I first wrote it, it seemed more and more relevant. Now, in 2025, with systematic erasure of Black History, debates around Women's rights, and the on going fight against systematic oppression, the story of Fancy Maids has gone from relevant to necessary. I felt called to move the story to a medium that is more accessible to reach a wider audience."
When asked about the prospect of the upcoming film adaptation, Chinara Stroman, who originated the role of Queenie and has brought her to life in every iteration since, said, "I don't think there's anything out there like Fancy Maids. It's really exciting and surreal." Speaking to the themes at the heart of the piece, Stroman added, "There's such a deep history that Black American women will always relate to and identify with - whether it's us, our mothers, our grandmothers, or our ancestors before them. There's such a strong story about sisterhood, friendship, and camaraderie that will always be the most important takeaway from this show."
Five time Emmy nominated producer, Lauren Wohlmacher, has joined the creative team that is bringing the story from stage to screen. Award winning director and editor, Adria Branson, is set to Co-Direct the film with Hodge. "I've had the pleasure of seeing what this story does to an audience, having worked on the show twice as a play." Branson stated. "There's laughter, there's tears, there's healing. Most importantly there's a dialogue that's essential."
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