RUBY: THE STORY OF RUBY BRIDGES Musical Play Explores The Life Of Civil Rights Activist And Icon

Alabama Shakespeare Festival presents Ruby: The Story of Ruby Bridges on the Festival Stage March 6 through March 22, 2020. Produced in collaboration with Montgomery Public Schools, the play is adapted by Christina Ham, who penned last season's Four Little Girls: Birmingham 1963 and Nina Simone: Four Women, with music by Gary Rue.

The play, directed by ASF MFA alum Sarah Walker Thornton, features seven brand new songs inspired by The Shirelles, Sam Cooke, and Smokey Robinson, and explores a little girl's unbeatable courage as she helped lead the Civil Rights Movement up the front steps of a segregated school and into the classroom.

Ruby Bridges was six years old when she became the first African-American child to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South. A lifelong activist for racial equality, Ruby has published two books about her early experiences and established The Ruby Bridges Foundation, which promotes tolerance and creates change through education.

"We have Ruby to thank for showing the world that no matter how small you are, you can make a big difference," said Thornton. "It's poetic that our cast, almost entirely Montgomery Public School students, is telling this story about the power and courage of children."

This production follows the incredible success of Four Little Girls: Birmingham 1963, ASF's collaboration with Montgomery Public Schools in 2019. With Ruby, the partnership further explores the role young people have played in the quest for equal rights.

The Montgomery Public School students participating in this production realize how it enriches their lives, as well as the lives of the thousands of young people and adults who will see the show. They recognize this as a unique opportunity to receive - and present - an arts-enriched history lesson.

The cast is led by Camryn Dillard (Baldwin Arts and Academics Magnet Middle School) and Faith Gatson (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School), who take the helm as younger and older Ruby, respectively. Lasherekia "Lala" Hampton portrays Ruby's mother, Lucille Bridges, and Adrian Lee Borden appears as Ruby's teacher, Mrs. Barbara Henry.

Seventeen additional Montgomery Public School students comprise the ensemble: Timothy Brannon (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School), Carissa Braswell (Robert E. Lee High School), Veronica Michelle Conely (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School), Jahnaya Cosby (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School), Doris Davis (Loveless Academic Magnet High School), Layla Gary (Southlawn Middle School), Derek Handy (Baldwin Arts and Academics Magnet School), Meredith Hataway (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School), Pia Jung (Loveless Academic Magnet High School), Jonah Maynard (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School), Gaia Moore (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School), Andarious Porter (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School), Michael Pritchard (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School), Raevyn Pritchett (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School), Jeremiah Treece (Jonnie Carr Middle School), Jace White (Baldwin Arts and Academics Magnet School), and Del'Kyra Corliyah Williams (Booker T. Washington Magnet High School).

The creative team for Ruby includes Scenic Designers Isabel and Moriah Curely-Clay, Lighting Designer André C. Allen, Sound Designer Chris Lane, Costume Designer Ramona Ward, Wig Master/Supervisor Angie Wright, Musical Director Darrian Stovall, Choreographer Lindsay Renea Benton, Young Artists Supervisors Marcus Clement and Kalicia Dubose, Stage Manager Lexi Tippett, and Production Assistant Morgan Jordan.

Tickets for Ruby: The Story of Ruby Bridges start at $29. To purchase, call 334.271.5353, visit the ASF Box Office (open Monday - Saturday, 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.), or visit the website at ASF.net/ruby. Evening performances begin at 7:00 p.m.; matinees start at 2:00 p.m.

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