Annie Potts to Star in Industry Readings of New Solo Play WHITE LIES

Annie Potts (“Young Sheldon,” “Designing Women,” Ghostbusters) will star in two industry readings of the compelling new solo play, White Lies, written by playwright Elizabeth Dewberry (Flesh and Blood) and directed by Tamara Tunie (Spring Awakening, Radio Golf). The readings will take place on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM at Open Jar Studios.
 
Set against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter protests in New York City, White Lies delves into the complex relationship between Sarah and her dying mother in Alabama. As Sarah attempts to bid farewell during the COVID-19 pandemic, suppressed memories from her Evangelical and racially charged Southern upbringing resurface. The play oscillates between humor and deep emotion, offering a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the potential for redemption.
 
Kevin Bailey and James Mellon of MB Artists, along with Michael Donovan, a nine-time Artios Award-winning casting director, are producing the readings, bringing decades of theatrical expertise to the development of this powerful new play. Industry members may contact Kevin.mbartists@gmail.com for more information.

 
Annie Potts returned to series television in the CBS hit comedy “Young Sheldon,” created by Chuck Lorre and Steve Molaro. Her portrayal of ‘Meemaw’ became a fan favorite, earning her numerous Critics’ Choice nominations. She continued the role in the spinoff “Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage.” Potts is widely known for her iconic role as ‘Mary Jo Shively’ in “Designing Women.” Her work in “Love & War” garnered an Emmy nomination, and she earned two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for “Any Day Now.”
 
On stage, Potts made her Broadway debut in Yasmina Reza’s Tony Award-winning comedy God of Carnage and appeared in the long-running Pippin. Her off-Broadway work includes The Vagina Monologues, Diva, Love Letters, Charley’s Aunt, The Merchant of Venice, A Little Night Music, Cymbeline, and The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. On the West Coast, her performance in Aftermath earned rave reviews and the LA Times Critics’ Choice Ovation Recommendation.
 
Potts reprised her memorable role as ‘Janine Melnitz’ in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and Ghostbusters: Afterlife and voiced ‘Bo Peep’ in the Oscar-winning Toy Story 4. Her numerous film credits include Pretty in Pink, Texasville (Peter Bogdanovich’s sequel to The Last Picture Show), Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Who’s Harry Crumb?, King of the Gypsies, and Corvette Summer, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Recent credits include Happy Anniversary for Netflix, as well as Izzy Gets the F@#k Across Town and Humor Me, which debuted at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
 
She has played recurring roles on “Chicago Med,” “Law & Order: SVU,” and “The Fosters,” with guest appearances on “Scandal,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Major Crimes,” and “Two and a Half Men.” Potts has also starred in Hallmark movies like The Music Teacher and Freshman Father, as well as Marry Me for Lifetime.
 
Born in Nashville and raised in Kentucky, Potts holds a BFA in Theater from Stephens College in Missouri, where she is a visiting professor and board member. She is an ambassador for White Pony Express, which aids those in need in the Bay Area. She authored the children’s book Kemarley of Anguilla, with proceeds benefiting the Arijah Children’s Foundation. During the pandemic, Potts and her husband, director/producer Jim Hayman, co-founded “All Are One,” an initiative to provide anonymous donations to those in need. She also established The Heart Channels, an organization offering resources and guidance to people at critical crossroads in their lives.