Creative Cauldron Closes 2023-24 Season With THE BUBBLY BLACK GIRL SHEDS HER CHAMELEON SKIN

In May, Creative Cauldron will present The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin. A show about a girl who is stuck between two worlds within her own identity, as she strives to make a name for herself in the bright lights of Broadway. Originally written by Kirsten Childs, this show will be Directed by Angelisa Gillyard. The creative team includes Music Direction by Amy Conley and Choreography by Maurice Johnson.

The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin is sponsored by Diener and Associates. The production runs from May 16 - June 9, 2024. Press night is May 18 at 7:30pm.

The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin has a long history and is now re-emerging on stages around the globe. After a few years in development, Bubbly made its Off-Broadway premiere at Playwrights Horizons in 1999. Kirsten Childs received an Obie Award for music and lyrics in 2001. In 2017, it was revised and performed at the New York City Center as a part of their Encore! Series which is dedicated to revisiting the archives of American musical theater.

Creative Cauldron's production will be the first major professional production in the DMV.

Cast and Creative Team

Angelisa Gillyard (Director) is a Helen Hayes nominated director and choreographer.  Most recently she served as associate director for the Tony Nominated off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Days of Wine and Roses.  She directed the Helen Hayes nominated Once on This Island (Outstanding Direction and Outstanding Musical Production) for Constellation Theatre Company, and directed and choreographed The Hula Hooping Queen at Imagination Stage (Helen Hayes nomination for Outstanding Choreography)  Amy Conley (Music Direction) is making her return to the Cauldron after serving as Music Director for Charlotte's Web, Marry Me a Little and Thunder Knocking on the Door (2013). Other music direction credits include: MVCCT – Newsies, Matilda, Shrek, Little Mermaid, Joseph…, Mary Poppins, and more! Maurice Johnson (Choreography) is a DC based choreographer, educator and performer. He received a Helen Hayes nomination for his work on Once on this island (Constellation Theatre), and won the 2024 Broadway World award for 'Best Creative Team' for The Prom (UMD). His recent works include 'Spring Awakening' (American University) and 'Cinderella: a salsa fairytale' (Helen Hayes recommended) Imagination Stage. 

The talented cast of The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin features Creative Cauldron veterans Sally Imbriano, Bianca Lipford, Carl L. Williams, Slyvern Groomes Jr., and Oscar Salvador. Sally Imbriano (Ensemble) was last seen at Creative Cauldron in the Helen Hayes Recommended show Working, as well as Always...Patsy Cline, and Disenchanted the Musical! Bianca Lipford (Ensemble) appeared in the Bold New Voices Premiere of Audrey: A New Musical as Edith Head. 

Her local credits include Constellation Theatre Company: Once on This Island; Keegan Theatre: Shakespeare in Love, Little Wars, As You Like It; Everyman Theatre and more. Carl L. Williams (Daddy/Ensemble) first appeared at Creative Cauldron as Horton in The Christmas Angel. Some of his favorite past credits include: Through the Sunken Lands (Nicodemus) and Acoustic Rooster's Barnyard Boogie Starring Indigo Blume (National Tour) (Mules Davis). You may have seen Sylvern Groomes Jr. performing at Creative Cauldron's annual Telethon or as Sister Hubert in Nextstop Theatre's production of Nunsense A-men. Oscar Salvador (Dir. Bob/Ensemble) returns to the Cauldron after appearing as an Ensemble member in the Helen Hayes Recommended show Working and as an understudy in the East Coast premiere of Monarch: A Mexican-American Musical.

Making their Creative Cauldron debuts in the Bubbly Black Girl cast are Trenton McKenzie Beavers, Kayla Earl, Cristen Young, Edima Essien, and Alicia Zheng. Cristen Young (Viveca) is making her Creative Cauldron debut in the leading role of  Viveca. Her previous credits include: Workhouse Theatre: The Who's Tommy (Sally u/s, Ensemble). Trenton McKenzie Beavers (Gregory/Ensemble) has been seen at Keegan Theatre: Merrily We Roll Along (Ru/Ensemble); Toby's Dinner Theatre: SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical (Helen Hayes Award Outstanding Ensemble nomination) and more. Kayla Earl appeared as "Raylynn" in Dominique Morisseau's Blood at the Root (SMU Theatre), "Adama" in Tori Sampson's If Pretty Hurts... (Jubilee Theatre), and "Cookie" in Katori Hall's Hurt Village, (SMU Theatre). Edima Essien (Ensemble) has appeared at Next Stop Theatre Company: School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play; Constellation Theatre Company: Once on this Island; Kennedy Center: Beastgirl; Imagination Stage: Hula Hoopin' Queen, Mr. Popper's Penguins, Spy Academy. Alicia Zheng (Ensemble) appeared as The Witch in Big Fish (City of Fairfax Theatre), Rosie in Cabaret (Reston Community Players), and Leading Player in Pippin (Live Arts Charlottesville).

Gillyard, Conley, and Johnson are joined on the Creative Team by Creative Cauldron's Resident two-time Strauss Award-winning Designer, Margie Jervis, Sets and Costumes, Helen Hayes nominated Lynn Joslin, Lighting Designer. Nicholas Goodman is the Stage Manager.

Tickets can be purchased at www.creativecauldron.org or by calling 703- 436-9948.

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