Photo Flash: First Look at Pegasus Theatre Chicago's THE GREEN BOOK

Pegasus Theatre Chicago, in association with ShPIeL Performing Identity, announce the Chicago premiere of The Green Book, inspired by Victor Green's historical, "The Negro Motorist Green Book," March 1 - April 1 at Pegasus's resident home Chicago Dramatists, 765 N. Aberdeen. The Green Book is written by Calvin A. Ramsey, and directed by Producing Artistic Director Ilesa Duncan. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with added Sunday 6 p.m. performances. Tickets are $18 - $30 and are available at PegasusTheatreChicago.org. Discounts available for groups of ten or more at Group Theater Tix, 312-423-6612.

Written by the award-winning co-author of "Ruth and the Green Book," the play is an homage to the historical travel book, "The Green Book," a publication started and published by Victor Green from 1936 - 1967, and centers on the Davis family, an African-American family who open their home to black travelers in the South during Jim Crow/segregation and the birth of Civil Rights activism. It is also an investigation of the impact of civil rights on contemporary American issues. The Green Book takes place during a weekend when the Davises are celebrating the arrival of Dr. W.E.B. DuBois for a lecture. The appearance of a white visitor, who turns out to be a Jewish Holocaust survivor, sets off a chain of events that shows that racism and anti-Semitism cannot be ignored.

Originally called "The Negro Motorist Travel Guide," "The Green Book" provided information on safe passage for African-Americans during the Jim Crow era, not just in the South, but, throughout the United States. The guide listed hotels, restaurants and other venues for travel; drugstores, service stations, beauty and barber shops, as well as doctor offices. African-Americans traveling could not travel in the United States would need to know where they could receive these services because in many cases they would could be turned away, refused service or worse. "The Green Book" recently republished in facsimile editions has sold over 10,000 copies through online sales and at gift shops in institutions including the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC and the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.

The 1920s and 30s also saw a rise in anti-Jewish sentiment with leaders, like Congressman John Rankin, Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh and popular radio host Father Charles Coughlin all espousing Anti-Semitic sentiments. After the war, Jews who survived the Holocaust in Europe hoping for freedom and acceptance found themselves facing intolerance, fear and hatred in the United States. Alliances were formed between the Jewish people and African-Americans, due to ongoing prejudice, the "red scare" of McCarthyism, covenants and restrictions from certain schools, neighborhoods and clubs. It wasn't unusual to find signs saying, "No Blacks, No Jews, No Dogs" during that time.

The cast of The Green Book includes Malcom Banks, Stacie Doublin, Demetra Drayton, Quenna Lené, Terence Sims, Michael A. Stock and Henri Watkins.

The Green Book's production team includes Nick Schwartz (scenic design), Carley Walker (lighting design), Uriel Gomez (costume design), Devonte Washington (sound design), Noelle Hedges-Goettl, (production manager); Becs Bartle, (master electrician); Katy Vest (props design) and Taylor Hobart and Auden Granger, (stage managers).

Calvin Alexander Ramsey, Atlanta-based playwright, photographer, and folk art painter, grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, and Roxboro, North Carolina. In addition to having been a year-round resident of Martha's Vineyard, Ramsey has a passion for travel and has lived in New York City; Santa Monica, California; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Croix and St. John. He is a former advisory board member of the Robert Woodruff Library Special Collections at Emory University in Atlanta and a I trustee of the Bronx Museum of the Arts and the Paul Green Foundation in Chapel Hill North Carolina. Ramsey is also a recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Award.

His plays include Bricktop, The Musical; The Green Book; Damaged Virtues; Canada Lee; Sherman Town, Baseball, Apple Pie and The Klan; Enlightenment; Sister Soldiers; Kentucky Avenue; Somewhere In My Lifetime; Johnny Mercer: A Man and His Music, a musical tribute to the author of Moon River and others and The Age of Possibilities have been performed throughout the United States. Ramsey's children's books are The Last Mule of Gee's Bend and Ruth and the Green Book.

Ilesa Duncan is the producing artistic director at Pegasus Theatre Chicago. Her recent directing work includes Pegasus' recent, Jeff-Recommended, sold-out Shakin the Mess Outta Misery, the world premiere of Jeff-Recommended Rutherford's Travels and For Her as a Piano. Other recent credits include Broken Fences at 16th Street Theater, the Jeff Award-nominated The Nativity with Congo Square and the Jeff Award-winning Jar the Floor at ETA Creative Arts. Duncan has also worked with The Goodman, Writers Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Lifeline Theater, Stage Left and Chicago Dramatists, as well as Contemporary American Theatre Company (Ohio),The ALLIANCE THEATRE (Atlanta), Arena Stage (Washington DC) and Lincoln Center Theater (New York). Duncan's creative nonfiction short stories have been published (Columbia College Chicago) and she's written poems and screenplays. For the stage, she co-adapted Rutherford's Travels from the National Book Award-winning novel Middle Passage, co-wrote and directed Blakk Love: Stoeez of A Darker Hue and facilitated the devised project Do You See What I'm Saying for Chameleon.

ShPIeL develops and deepens the theatre artist and performance projects through cultural identities and narratives; provides professional networks for theatre and performing art; and is dedicated to creating a transformative community.

Pegasus Theatre Chicago has been a mainstay in the Chicago theater community for nearly 38 years. Its mission is to produce boldly imaginative theatre, champion new and authentic voices and illuminate the human journey. The theatre adheres to the core values of community engagement, social relevance, boldness, adventure and excellence.

Pegasus is also committed to initiating important conversations through the arts with strong community engagement and socially relevant programming, including the Young Playwrights Festival for high school-age scribes, which celebrated its 31st Anniversary this year. Pegasus Theatre Chicago has received seventy-seven Joseph Jefferson Citations since its inception.

Pegasus Theatre Chicago, in association with ShPIeL Performing Identity, announce the Chicago premiere of The Green Book, inspired by Victor Green's historical, "The Negro Motorist Green Book," March 1 - April 1 at Pegasus's resident home Chicago Dramatists, 765 N. Aberdeen. The Green Book is written by the award-winning co-author of "Ruth and the Green Book," Calvin A. Ramsey, and directed by Producing Artistic Director Ilesa Duncan. The performance schedule is Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with added Sunday 6 p.m. performances. Tickets are $18 - $30 are available at PegasusTheatreChicago.org. Discounts available for groups of ten or more at Group Theater Tix, 312-423-6612.

The Anti-Defamation League is a The Green Book partner.

Pegasus Theatre Chicago is also supported by the MacArthur Fund at Richard Driehaus Foundation, the Albert Pick, Jr. Fund, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, and a CityArts grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (Rahm Emanuel, Mayor).

Photo Credit: Emily Schwartz

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