Photo Flash: Two River Theatre Presents OO-BLA-DEE

Two River Theater presents Oo-Bla-Dee, written by Regina Taylor, featuring original lyrics by Taylor and original music by composer/orchestrator Diedre L. Murray, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The choreography is by Kenneth L. Roberson and the music direction is by George Caldwell, with vocal arrangements by Carol Maillard.

Oo-Bla-Dee opens to the press on Friday, June 14 at 7pm and continues through Sunday, June 30 in Two River's Rechnitz Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank, NJ. Tickets are available from 732.345.1400 or tworivertheater.org.

Oo-Bla-Dee follows Evelyn Waters and the Diviners, an all-black, all-female jazz band, as they travel from St. Louis to Chicago in order to set up a record deal following the end of World War II. On this trip toward freedom the latest member of the group, sax player Gin Del Sol, must wrestle with the complex timing of the music as well as the complicated times in which she lives.

The company includes Marva Hicks as Evelyn Waters, Amber Iman as Luna C, Stanley Wayne Mathis as Shorty, Monica J. Palmer as Ruby, Cedric Sanders as Arthur/Soldier, Stacey Sargeant as Lulu, Allison Semmes as Gin Del Sol, and Chesney Snow as the Vocal Foley. The band consists ofGeorge Caldwell (conductor/piano), Corinthia Cromwell (saxophone), Eli Fountain (percussion) and Mimi Jones (bass).

The creative team includes scenic designer Michael Carnahan, costume designer Karen Perry, lighting designer Jane Cox, sound designer Jane Shaw, and projection designer Alex Basco Koch. The copyist is Kevin Massey and the wig designer is J. Jared Janas. The casting is by Binder Casting/Chad Eric Murnane, CSA. The assistant stage manager is Larry Copeland and the production stage manager is Mark Dobrow.

Photo Credit: T. Charles Erickson

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