Kayla Boye's CALL ME ELIZABETH Will Be Presented as Fundraiser For PrideArts at Center on Halsted

CALL ME ELIZABETH, a one-woman show about the early life of Elizabeth Taylor, will be presented May 2-4 as a fundraiser for PrideArts at the Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Center on Halsted. The critically acclaimed production, starring Kayla Boye and directed by Michael Weber, returns to Chicago following a sold-out international tour.
 
Fresh off her 1961 Academy Awards triumph and a recent brush with death, Elizabeth Taylor is struggling with her hardest role yet: herself. Through an intimate conversation with her biographer, CALL ME ELIZABETH examines the movie star's early life, career, and loves as she grapples with the culture of celebrity and her place as Hollywood's brightest star.
 
Boye states, “I am thrilled to partner with PrideArts on this special presentation of CALL ME ELIZABETH. This collaboration has been a long time coming, and I am delighted to share the story of Elizabeth Taylor and her legacy in alignment with PrideArts' mission.”
 
PrideArts Managing Director Amber Mandley adds, "“We're excited to share Kayla Boye's performance with our supporters. They'll enjoy the show, learn more about one of our community's greatest allies, and help PrideArts grow."
 
CALL ME ELIZABETH had its first staged reading in 2019 at The Den Theatre in Chicago directed by 12-time Joseph Jefferson Award-winner Hollis Resnik. The show premiered as a film during the pandemic via Broadway On Demand, later premiering live in the 2022 Hollywood Fringe Festival under the direction of Erin Kraft. The play continues to tour internationally following its sold-out Off-Broadway engagement at 59E59 Theaters and critically acclaimed, sold-out run at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Presentations of the piece have been awarded grants by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund and Illinois Arts Council.
 
Performances are Friday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 3, at 3:00 p.m., and Sunday, May 4, at 3:00 p.m. Audiences for matinee performances are invited to stay for a special developmental reading of a second act focusing on the latter half of Taylor's life and entry into the fight against HIV/AIDS.