Kecia Lewis On Joining Controversial MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN: 'I Am An Actress And I Want To Work'

All eyes will be on a small Off-Broadway theatre tomorrow night, as Kecia Lewis steps into the title role in Classic Stage Company's new adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN.

With less than a week to prepare before taking over a run that will conclude January 24th, she tells the New York Times that she asked her 12-year-old son, Simon, "to go hang with Dad for a couple of weeks," while she works with a memorization coach who helps with "visualization, seeing words in the air, seeing words on the set."

As reported by BroadwayWorld, the production's original star, Tony-winner Tonya Pinkins, chose to leave due to artistic differences between her and director Brian Kulick, who is in his final season as artistic director of the company. Click here for Pinkins' full statement, charging that Kulick's concept, setting the play in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was seen through "the filter of the white gaze," with little regard for her perspective as a black woman. Click here for Kulick's response.

Lewis declines to comment on the issue, but when asked why she agreed to step into the role amidst such controversy, she reminded the theatre community of a harsh reality.

"I am an African-American woman over the age of 45," she said. "And I am an actress and I want to work. These roles are few and far between at this stage in my life."

Click here for the full article.

Click here for BroadwayWorld's video profile of Kecia Lewis.

The cast of Mother Courage and Her Children also includes Joshua Boone, Curtiss Cook Jr., Jamil A. C. Mangan,Kevin Mambo, Jacob Ming-Trent, Geoffrey Owens, Michael Potts, Deandre Sevon, Mirirai Sithole and Zenzi Williams. Set design is by Tony Straiges, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Justin Townsendand sound design by Matt Stine.

Tickets start at $60 and are available at www.classicstage.org, by calling (212) 352-3101 / 866-811-4111 or at the box-office at 136 East 13th Street, New York City (between Third and Fourth Avenues).

Photo Credit: James E. Alexander