Photo Flash: NINA SIMONE: FOUR WOMEN Celebrates Opening Night at Arena Stage

Celebrating the life and music of Nina Simone, one of America's most iconic singers and civil rights activists, Christina Ham's provocative musical journey Nina Simone: Four Women makes its East Coast debut at Arena Stage. Nina Simone: Four Women runs now through December 24, 2017 in the Kreeger Theater. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

Set in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, in which four little girls lost their lives in 1963, Ham uses Simone's song "Four Women" as the framework to explore the songstress' shift from artist to artist-activist. Timothy Douglas returns to Arena Stage to direct this "gorgeous and moving testimonial" (Star Tribune).

Joining the previously announced Harriett D. Foy (Broadway's Amelie and Mamma Mia, Arena's The Women of Brewster Place) as Nina Simone, the cast includes D.C.-area's Felicia Curry (Arena's Disgraced) as Sweet Thing and Theresa Cunningham (Round House Theatre's Caroline or Change) as Sarah, with Toni L. Martin (Broadway's Airline Highway) as Sephronia. Darius Smith (Signature's Jelly's Last Jam) will play Nina's younger brother Sam Waymon.

The creative team for Nina Simone: Four Woman includes Music Director Darius Smith, Choreographer Dane Figueroa Edidi, Set Designer Timothy Mackabee, Costume Designer Kara Harmon, Lighting Designer Michael Gilliam, Sound Designer Matthew M. Nielson, Wig Designer Anne Nesmith, Stage Manager Christi B. Spann and Assistant Stage Manager Marne Anderson.

For tickets and more information, visit arenastage.org/shows-tickets/the-season/productions/nina-simone-four-women.

Photo Credit: Cameron Whitman

Theresa Cunningham (Sarah), Felicia Curry (Sweet Thing), Harriett D. Foy (Nina Simone) and Toni L. Martin (Sephronia)

Director Timothy Douglas and Playwright Christina Ham

Music Director Darius Smith, Theresa Cunningham (Sarah), Felicia Curry (Sweet Thing), Playwright Christina Ham, Harriett D. Foy (Nina Simone), Toni L. Martin (Sephronia) and Director Timothy Douglas

Playwright Christina Ham and Artistic Director Molly Smith

Music Director Darius Smith and Director Timothy Douglas