Exclusive: 13th Street Theater to Celebrate Bessie Smith This Weekend

The 13th Street Repertory Theater will honor the woman widely considered to be the world's greatest blues singer by making Sunday, April 19th, "Bessie Smith Day." The theater will be offering free admission to its new hit show, "Mad About the Boy" (which includes a tribute to Smith) to anyone who can sing a chorus of a song recorded by Smith. ASCAP award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa, who's created and produced "Mad About the Boy," will also award prizes to those who do the best job of singing Smith's songs. Deffaa--who profiled Smith in the book "Harlem Speaks: A Living History of the Harlem Renaissance" (Sourcebooks, Inc.) and has lectured on her (most recently at the University of Idaho)--will be the judge, assisted by members of his theater company.

The theater, which has been run for more than 40 years by Edith O'Hara, 98, has a tradition of periodically offering such unusual promotions. For example, entertainer/showbiz historian Carol Bradshaw, who was judged to have done the best job of singing an Eddie Cantor song at the theater's recent "Eddie Cantor Appreciation Day," was awarded free admission to a production of her choice at the theater; she says she will be coming to see "Mad About the Boy."

Deffaa comments: "The late Bessie Smith, known as 'the Empress of the Blues,' recorded 160 songs, some of which became standards. To enter this competition--being held on April 19th in celebration of Smith's birthday--you simply need to come to theater, 30 or 40 minutes before either the 2 pm Sunday matinee or the 7 pm Sunday evening show, and sing one chorus of any of those 160 songs. Over the years, I've met a number of jazz musicians who worked with Smith, from Benny Goodman, Elmer Snowden, and Doc Cheatham, to Bill Dillard and Freddie Moore. She was a profoundly influential artist--a singer of enormous soulfulness--and they held her in the highest esteem. The epitaph on her gravestone--erected many years after her passing by Janis Joplin, who idolozed her--reads simply: 'The World's Greatest Jazz Singer Will Never Stop Singing.' In our rather eclectic show, the dynamic Shinice Hemmings offers a fervent homage to Smith. We'll award free admissions to anyone who sings a Smith song, and we'll have prizes for those judged to do the best job." The theater hopes that some of the stars of "Mad About the Boy," such as Joris de Graaf, Maite Uzal, Toby Medlyn, Katherine Paulsen, Michael Czyz, and Luka Fric, will assist in the judging.

The winner will receive a copy of Deffaa's book "Blue Rhythms: Six Lives in Rhythm and Blues" (University of Illinois Press); a DVD of a Bessie Smith film; an invitation to sing a Smith song onstage following a performance of "Mad About the Boy," and a chance to make a cameo appearance in the show. Runners-up will be eligible for other awards, ranging from free admission to John Brady's next appearance at the Townhouse, to a copy of cast member Ken Adams' new audio book "I am NOT Tony Medlyn," and certificates of appreciation.

Future performances of "Mad About the Boy" will include an "Anthony Rapp Appreciation Day," a "Lee Roy Reams Appreciation Day," a "Seth Sikes Appreciation Day," and a "Ma Rainey Remembrance day" (details to be announced shortly), with additional chances to win prizes. (A maximum of six prizes or free admissions will be awarded at any given performance.)

"Mad About the Boy," a high-spirited celebration of gay music, past and present, features Benjamin Grier, Cody Jordan, Al Roths, Michael J.C. Anderson, Mark Blowers, Michael Knowles, with music direction by Richard Danley, choreography by Rayna Hirt, assistant direction by Dennis Gleason and Peter Charney. Deffaa, the author of 16 published plays, presented a prototype of the show at his own theater festival; "Mad About the Boy" was the runaway hit of the festival. Tommy Tune encouraged Deffaa to develop it into a full-length show, which led to this production. Deffaa, who has become the 13th Street Rep's defacto playwright in residence, considers the show a work-in-progress. "We're still adding and subtracting things, seeing what works. But our nod to Bessie Smith, one of the all-time great singers, will always be part of the show."

Sunday's matinee performance is being videotaped by Jonathan Ospa. And an album of songs from the show is in the works.

Tickets are $30; readers of Broadwayworld.com can use the promo code "promomatb" to get an exclusive discount. For more info, please visit: www.13thstreetrep.org.

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