THE SENSATIONAL JOSEPHINE BAKER Opens Off-Broadway 6/26

The award-winning Emerging Artists Theatre will present the Off-Broadway premiere of The Sensational Josephine Baker. Preview performances begin Tuesday, June 19, opening night will be Tuesday, June 26 and the play enjoys a 12-week run through Saturday, September 8, 2012 at The Beckett Theatre – Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street (www.theatrerow.org).  Show times are: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm; Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm; and Sunday at 3pm. Tickets are $69.25 and can be purchased by calling Telecharge at 212-239-6200 or online at www.Telecharge.com.  For all discount offers visit www.broadwayoffers.com or call 212-947-8844.

Written and performed by Cheryl Howard and directed by Ian Streicher, the unforgettable story of Josephine Baker springs to life in this tightly woven play featuring several of Baker’s signature songs.  The story goes from little girl to showgirl as we follow Josephine on her journey from conservative St. Louis, Missouri to the risqué cabarets of the Rue Pigalle, France.  Howard delivers this tale through an array of fascinating female characters: Josephine’s domineering mother, Carrie McDonald; fellow chorus girl Lydia Jones; Ada “Bricktop” Smith, owner of the infamous nightclub “Bricktop’s in Montmarte…” And a raw, fearless portrayal of Ms. Baker herself in a series of defining moments: from the hilarious antics which rescued her from the obscurity of the chorus, to the humiliation of being shunned by a narrow-minded American public, to her life-long search for unconditional love.

Cheryl Howard has toured and performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe. She has starred as Deena Jones in Dreamgirls in Berlin, Germany, and as Josephne Baker in Josephine: The Musical, which toured throughout Europe, winning her a Golden Heart Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Best Musical.

Founded in 1993, EMERGING ARTISTS THEATRE has provided a dynamic home for emerging writers and artists, to develop work from an idea to a fully realized production. In the past 19 years, EAT has premiered over 300 new works, garnered a Drama Desk Award nomination, received the American Theatre Wing Award for Consistent Excellence in Theatre, and was named Best Off-Off-Broadway Theater Company in NYC for Actors to Work With by Back Stage. For more information visit www.emergingartiststheatre.org.  For more information on the show visit www.thesensationaljosepinebaker.com.