Supermodel Beverly Johnson Is Naked Onstage At Delaware Theatre Company

Delaware Theatre Company is proud to present Naked!, a solo performance by the world's first black supermodel Beverly Johnson. Co-written by Johnson and Joshua Ravetch, Naked! tells Johnson's story beginning with her groundbreaking photo on the cover of Vogue Magazine. This empowering play runs January 10-12, 2020. Tickets are on sale now starting at $25 and can be purchased online at DelawareTheatre.org or by calling the Box Office at (302) 594-1100.

You know her face, now hear her amazing story! Now, with over 500 magazine covers to her name (or face) she remains one of the most iconic figures in the world of fashion and modeling. Beverly's life took an unexpected turn when she broke her silence, went public, and revealed that she, too, was drugged by Bill Cosby. That disclosure became part of the key momentum that, in-part, helped to launch the #MeToo movement.

Johnson says, "When I was 22, I became a face, now, forty years later, I've really found my voice! My journey has been unusual from that unexpected moment where I became the first black woman on the cover of American Vogue and was thrust into the spotlight, to a career that has lasted fifty years and in some way placed me as a metaphoric bridge between white and black America." She continues, "Then, as

women became more empowered, I went public with my own story involving Bill Cosby which became one of the dominos that fell igniting the #MeToo Movement. That disclosure led to my becoming a role-model all over again, but this time, in a slightly different way. I was older, and perhaps a bit wiser, and had a deep sense of responsibility to discuss issues from woman's rights, to sexual abuse, to an alarming resurgence of racism which is more present in America today than it has been since the days of Civil Rights. It was clear that it was time to tell my story, a story that takes us all on a shared journey from fashion and beauty to truth and transparency to fame and reversal-of fortune.

Also directing the show, Ravetch has made a career telling celebrities' stories on stage. His first one-person-show was with Carrie Fisher in a theme-park ride through Hollywood called Wishful Drinking. He followed this with Dick Van Dyke in Step in Time! A Musical Memoir, staged on the rooftops of London. Diana Nyad's Onward took us on her journey as she finally succeeded in swimming the 111 miles from Cuba to Florida on her fifth attempt at the age of 64.

Ravetch's plays have also appeared at Delaware Theatre Company. Most recently, he brought One November Yankee to Wilmington. He also wrote Go Figure starring ice skating champion, Randy Gardner, his skating partner, Tai Babilonia, and skating legend, Dorothy Hamill.

Ravetch says, "What all these stories had in common, was that in some way, they were the people we grew up watching; people who we seemed to truly know intimately since their lives were part of the fabric of our own childhood memories. They were like extended family members."

He continues, "But Beverly Johnson: Naked! is slightly different for me. Her story, in some way, spans the American experience from Civil Rights to the #MeToo Movement. Her bravery and honesty about telling her own story involving Bill Cosby was a key moment in history. Beverly is a revelation. She's funny, and charismatic, and a terrific story-teller."

Performances are held on Delaware Theatre Company's stage, located at 200 Water Street in Wilmington, DE, just feet from the beautiful Riverfront. Beverly Johnson: Naked! runs January 10 - 12, 2020. Tickets are on sale now starting at $25 and can be purchased online at DelawareTheatre.org or by calling the Box Office at (302)594-1100. Free parking is available right outside of the theatre on Orange Street and next door at 101 Avenue of the Arts.

Institutional Summary: Currently in our 41st season, Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) is Delaware's premier non-profit professional theatre. Recognized as a cornerstone in the Brandywine Valley's rich cultural landscape, DTC has produced nearly 200 plays for over one million residents and visitors in its community. For more than two decades, DTC has been a pioneer in the revitalization of Wilmington's Christina Riverfront and cultural district as the only LORT theatre in the state. Since Bud Martin's arrival in 2012, DTC has seen a 54% increase in subscribers and a 234% increase in single ticket buyers, making Delaware Theatre Company an up and coming player in the regional theatre community.

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