'Sweet Mama Stringbean' Opens On 4/9

Woodie King Jr.'s New Federal Theatre will present the world premiere of Beth Turner's new musical, Sweet Mama Stringbean (based on the life of Ethel Waters, the legendary star of stage, film and television) April 3, 2008 through April 27, 2008. The production will have its official opening on Wednesday, April 9, 2008. Elizabeth Van Dyke Directs.

Aging and severely overweight, legendary stage and film star Ethel Waters is faced with a waning career and the prospect of an impoverished old age, when, a dream of a childhood spiritual awakening opens her to a new future with the Billy Graham Crusade. Ethel Waters grew up in poverty and squalor in a section of Philadelphia called Whore's Alley and later began a career in entertainment that spanned nearly sixty years throughout the depression era, Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s; and at the beginning of the television era. Sweet Mama Stringbean shows two Ethel's: a wild and adventurous skinny woman able to introduce songs like Sweet Georgia Brown, Dinah, Am I Blue, and Stormy Weather; and the older 275-pound spiritual Broadway dramatic actress who starred in Mamba's Daughter and Member of the  Wedding, as well as defining her life through the song His Eye Is On The Sparrow.

The cast of Sweet Mama Stringbean features Cjay Hardy Philip, Marishka Shanice Phillips, Sandra Reaves-Phillips, Gary E. Vincent and Darryl JoVan Williams. Musical Direction is by Gregg Payne.

Performances of Sweet Mama Stringbean are Wednesdays – Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.
Tickets are $20 and can be ordered by calling  212-279-4200 or at www.ticketcentral.org. TDF vouchers are accepted Wed-Fri. One per customer.

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