BLACK ODYSSEY Comes to Hattiloo Theatre This Month

Modern performing arts venue Hattiloo Theatre is currently selling tickets for its upcoming production “Black Odyssey.” The production will run from Friday, January 24, until Sunday, February 16, 2025, at Hattiloo Theatre, 37 South Cooper St., Memphis, TN 38104.

Written by Obie-winning playwright Marcus Gardley and co-directed by Ekundayo Bandele and Maya Robinson, “Black Odyssey” blends classic mythology, African American history and modern theatricality to create the poetic “Black Odyssey.” This vibrant reimagining of Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey” is set in modern-day Harlem. It tells the story of Black American soldier Ulysses Lincoln as he struggles to return home from the war and reunite with his family after facing obstacles and confronting his ancestral history.

“When I saw this show originally in New York, it was a play that I knew we have to do here at Hattiloo,” said Ekundayo Bandele, founder and CEO of Hattiloo Theatre. “My hope is that the audience experiences the magic and the spectacle of this story.”

Bertram Williams Jr., star of STARZ’s hit series “P-Valley,” plays the main character Ulysses. 

“This play is a unique opportunity because it is a bit of a homecoming for me. I got my start in acting at Hattiloo, and after being away for about seven years acting in film and TV roles, Ekundayo invited me back to our home base to participate in this production,” Williams said. “We’re excited to bring some life into this play. I feel this play was written to invite the audience to remember our history and the importance of our ancestors as theatre creates a space for us to do that collectively.”

Additional cast members for “Black Odyssey” include:

- Delvyn Brown as Deus

- Dee Lisa Cothran as Nella

- Sherica Donelson as a member of the chorus

- Zan Edwards as a member of the chorus

- Gala Hayes as Ma Doosah

- Roman Kyle as Paw Siden

- Ariel Leira as Alsendra Sabine and Calypso

- Jackie Muskin as Aunt Tee

- Jordan-Danyel Payne as a member of the chorus

- Bryce Seay as a member of the chorus

- Khloe Sylvester as Benevolence

- Lucien White as Malachi

- Chasity Williams as Ma Doosah and a member of the chorus

- Jamar Wright as Artez

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