Black Theatre Troupe Will Perform LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR & GRILL
Performances run March 28 – April 13.
Black Theatre Troupe will close its season with a powerhouse performance of LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR & GRILL, running March 28 – April 13 at the Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center (1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix).
Set in a small Philadelphia club on a March night in 1959, LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR & GRILL offers a powerful glimpse of Billie Holiday's life and music. In just four months from this night, she will be dead.
Through raw storytelling and soulful performances of Holiday's most beloved songs—including "Strange Fruit," "God Bless the Child," and "What a Little Moonlight Can Do"—Holiday recounts the struggles, triumphs, and heartbreaks that defined her legendary career.
Acclaimed performer Rico Burton takes on the iconic role of Billie Holiday (Lady Day) in this intimate and moving production. A familiar presence on the Black Theatre Troupe stage, Burton has captivated audiences in productions such as Respect: The Musical, Blues in the Night, The Gospel at Colonus, and several of the company's August Wilson productions.
The production features a live jazz trio, with Cory Dugar on piano, and portraying Holiday's long time accompanist Jimmy Powers, Wallace Steele on bass and Shadrach Balot on drums. Led by Music Supervisor Brenda Hankins, the band will bring Holiday's timeless music to life with the artistry and energy of a live club performance. Chanel Bragg returns to Black Theatre Troupe to direct, following last month's acclaimed production of The African Company Presents Richard III.
"Billie Holiday's story is one of brilliance and pain, resilience and artistry," said David J. Hemphill, Executive Director of Black Theatre Troupe. "‘Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill' is more than a tribute—it's an experience that transports audiences into her world."
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