Photos: First Look NINA SIMONE: FOUR WOMEN At South Coast Repertory 

She was known as one of the 20th century's most powerful and impactful voices, not only as a singer, but also as a voice for the silent. South Coast Repertory (Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Paula Tomei) opens the 2022-23 season with Nina Simone: Four Women by Christina Ham Oct. 2-23 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.

Directed by Logan Vaughn, who helmed SCR's Pacific Playwrights Festival's reading of Dr. Silver: A Celebration of Life last spring, Nina Simone: Four Women tells the story behind the iconic singer fulfilling her pledge that "An artist's responsibility is to reflect the times."

Following the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL. that killed four young girls, Simone shifted her considerable talents to activism. The result was some of the most powerful, impactful civil rights anthems ever written. Ham's intensely personal play with music takes theatregoers into how the iconic chanteuse gave voice to countless other Black women fighting to overcome stereotypes and racism.

Nina Simone: Four Women includes many of Simone's most forceful and gripping songs, including "To Be Young, Gifted and Black," "Go Limp" and "Mississippi Goddam."

Nina Simone: Four Women features Chibuba Osuala (Nina Simone), Meredith Noël (Sweet Thing), Arie Bianca Thompson (Sephronia), Jennifer Leigh Warren (Sarah) and Richard Baskin Jr. (Sam Waymon). All but Warren, who earned critical praise for her performance in the 2000 production of The Education of Randy Newman, are making their SCR debuts.

The design and creative team include Baskin as musical director; Jack Magaw, set design; Jessica Ford, costume design; Christine A. Binder, lighting design; Everett Elton Bradman, sound design; Yee Eun Nam, projections design, Kevin Boseman, choreographer, and Joanne DeNaut, CSA, casting director. Maisie Chan is the production manager and Randall K. Lum is the production stage manager.

Tickets are now on sale and range in price from $32 to $105, with additional discounts available for educators, seniors and theatregoers ages 25 and under. Tickets may be purchased online at www.scr.org or by phone at (714) 708-5555. More information is available at www.scr.org.

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