Black Out Night Announced for BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY

Center Theatre Group has announced a Black Out Night for the Friday, April 8, 2022, 8 p.m. performance of "Blues for an Alabama Sky" at the Mark Taper Forum. Actress Wendy Raquel Robinson will begin the night with a pre-show address welcoming the audience into the theatre for this special performance of "Blues for an Alabama Sky" intended for Black-identifying theatregoers. In order to continue the conversation and celebration of Black artists, the performance will be followed by a reception in front of the Taper on the Jerry Moss Plaza (formerly Music Center Plaza) featuring live music.

Tickets for the Black Out Night are priced at $30 and $75 and are available at CTGLA.org/BluesBlackOut.

Set in 1930s Harlem, this revival of Pearl Cleage's rich and beautiful work runs at the Mark Taper Forum April 6 through May 8, 2022, with opening night set for April 13, 2022.

Tony Award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad, who originated the role of Angel in the world premiere of "Blues for an Alabama Sky" more than 25 years ago, returns to direct this timeless piece that was first presented in 1995 by Atlanta's Alliance Theatre. She leads a cast that features Joe Holt, Nija Okoro, Dennis Pearson, Greg Alverez Reid and Kim Steele.

The creative team includes John Iacovelli (scenic design), Wendell C. Carmichael (costume, wig and hair design), Elizabeth Harper (lighting design) and Jeff Gardner (sound design), with original composition by Dontae Winslow. Casting is by Kim Coleman, CSA and Michelle Blair is the production stage manager.

Angel is a free-spirited Cotton Club singer who's out of luck but never out of dreams. Guy is a costume designer waiting for Josephine Baker to invite him to join her in Paris. Delia, a young activist, is trying to give the women of Harlem a choice about their future. Sam, a prominent physician, is either delivering babies or out at the club letting the good times roll. And Leland, who recently arrived in Harlem from Alabama, is haunted by the wide-open skies and lost love he left behind. The lives and dreams of these men and women converge with passion and politics as the art and celebration of the Harlem Renaissance give way to the harsh realities of the Great Depression.

Tickets for all other performances of "Blues for an Alabama Sky" are currently on sale at Center Theatre Group / Mark Taper Forum and start at $30. They are available through CenterTheatreGroup.org, Audience Services at (213) 628-2772 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Office (at the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012). Performances run Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Call for exceptions.

Center Theatre Group's first Black Out Night was created in February of 2022 for Jeremy O. Harris' "Slave Play" and was based on the event he created in 2019 during the Broadway engagement to provide a freeing environment for Black-identifying audience members to experience the unflinching new work free from the white gaze.

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation's preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles' leading nonprofit theatre company, which, under the leadership of Managing Director / CEO Meghan Pressman and Producing Director Douglas C. Baker, programs seasons at the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum and 1,600 to 2,100-seat Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In addition to presenting and producing the broadest range of theatrical entertainment in the country, Center Theatre Group is one of the nation's leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics and circumstance to serve Los Angeles.

For the time being, Center Theatre Group will continue to require masks, along with proof of full vaccination, and a government- or education-issued ID at all of our venues. Booster shots are strongly recommended. This is consistent with the commitments we have made with our artists, staff and audiences to ensure their safety. Per the guidelines set by the CDC, "full vaccination" means that at least 14 days have passed since receiving the final dose of an FDA-authorized or WHO-listed COVID-19 vaccine. Unvaccinated guests, including children or those with a medical or religious reason, must provide proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken no more than 48 hours prior to attendance, or a negative rapid antigen test taken no more than 24 hours prior. All tests must be administered by a professional. At-home tests will not be accepted.

Center Theatre Group will continue working closely with The Music Center and L.A. County officials to ensure they are following all applicable health and safety protocols. Please note that these health and safety measures are subject to change, at Center Theatre Group's sole discretion and based on evolving health and safety guidance and conditions. More information regarding safety updates as well as audience vaccination, testing and mask requirements is available at CenterTheatreGroup.org/Safety

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