Photos: First Look at HAVING OUR SAY At The Ivoryton Playhouse

Now open at the Ivoryton Playhouse is the extraordinary and life-affirming play HAVING OUR SAY: THE DELANY SISTERS' FIRST 100 YEARS by Emily Mann (adapted from the book by Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth Delany with Amy Hill Hearth).

Based on the New York Times bestselling novel, HAVING OUR SAY takes us into the groundbreaking worlds of Sadie and Bessie Delany, two real-life civil rights pioneers. Their warm, funny, and intelligent tale is a remarkable and moving portrait of two groundbreaking women who continue to laugh, love, and embrace life after over a hundred years living side by side.

This Tony nominated play begins as sisters Sadie and Bessie (103- and 101-years-old, respectively) welcome us into their Mount Vernon home while they prepare a celebratory dinner in remembrance of their father's birthday. Along the way they take us on a remarkable journey through the last hundred years of our nation's history. From post-Civil War Reconstruction through the Harlem Renaissance and beyond, their sharp memories recapture the worlds of Booker T. Washington, Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Paul Robeson. Along the way Sadie and Bessie broke barriers of color and race becoming a respected dentist and a New York City schoolteacher at a time when America held high the potential for change and growth. No less than inspirational, their extraordinary lives are examples in courage and love that stand as monumental contributions to our nation's heritage.

This poignant and touching family drama stars Catherine Williams* as Sadie and Hope Harley* as Bessie. And the Delany Sisters' influence is not lost on them, as Ms. Harley states, "Much like their contemporary, Anna James, of the James Pharmacy here in Connecticut, they serve as role models even today." Or as Ms. Williams simply puts it, "I am very humbled to play the role."

The play is directed by Ivoryton Playhouse's Associate Artistic Director Todd Underwood. Set design is by Martin Marchitto; costumes by Elizabeth Saylor; lighting by Marcus Abbott; and sound by Tate R. Burmeister.

HAVING OUR SAY: THE DELANY SISTERS' FIRST 100 YEARS runs through Sunday, September 5th, 2021. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm; evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm.

The safety of our audience is our primary concern. We have socially distanced our capacity so that there are only 140 seats in the theatre for your comfort and protection.

Tickets are $55 for adults, $50 for seniors, $25 for students and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860.767.7318. Tickets are not available online. Visit our website at http://www.ivorytonplayhouse.org for more information.

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