Pygmalion Theatre Company to Stage BELLA BELLA by Harvey Fierstein

Pygmalion Theatre Company will continue its 2021/2022 season with "Bella Bella," by Harvey Fierstein, directed by Fran Pruyn and starring Tamara Johnson Howell, at the the Rose Wagner Center for Performing Arts located at 138 West Broadway in downtown Salt Lake City. The show is set to run from February 11th through February 26th. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, it will play at 7:30 pm, and on Sundays it will play at 2 pm. There will be an extra matinee on the final Saturday at 2 p.m.

Battling Bella was born in 1920 in NYC to Russian Jewish emigrants. She was an intelligent, principled, loud, force of nature. She was a congresswoman, an attorney, a social activist, and a leading feminist. With Gloria Steinem, Shirley Chisholm and Betty Friedan, she founded the National Women's Political Caucus. In 1970, Abzug's first campaign slogan was, "This woman's place is in the House - the House of Representatives."

"Bella Bella" is a solo play by Harvey Fierstein, who created the language from the words of Bella Abzug. The show is set on election night of her run for the U.S. Senate. She is in the bathroom as many others wait for her outside.

Director Pruyn spoke about why she wanted to stage and direct the show.

"Bella was an feminist icon of the 20th Century," she said. "She was a bare-knuckled fighter for women's rights, and much of what she fought for is still taking its time being realized. Our company is dedicated to women, to their stories, and to their journeys - Bella's story, as told in her own words is very powerful. Harvey Fierstein pulled all this show from what she said and what was said by her close about her. 'Bella Bella' works very comfortably in our mission statement."

She also touched upon how the play will speak to audiences in 2022.

"Sadly, so many of the issues that she championed are still issues: civil rights, racism, women's and LGBTQ+ rights continue to be part of our daily discourse," Pruyn said. "She was a pioneer in fighting for social equality and equity, and took her lumps for doing it. Moreover, Bella Abzug was a fascinating personality, a person who sucks up all the air in the room, at once charismatic, charming and off-putting. I am sure audiences will embrace her bravery and appreciate her bravado."

Howell also spoke about the ease and difficulty of being part of a one-woman show.

"Doing a one-woman show is daunting and exhilarating all at once!" she said. "I've been working on it since July, so it's constantly in my head. It's very cool to sit with a role for that long. Actors often just get a few weeks with a character from rehearsal to performance, so living with Bella for all this time has been very rewarding. It's hard because the thought of it being all me for an hour or more and engaging an audience is intimidating. The great thing is that Bella speaks directly to the audience throughout the piece, so it feels like they're part of the show, even characters in the show. I'll be counting on their support!! I know it seems simple to say, but 'learning all those lines' is no joke either!"

Pruyn also reassured audiences that COVID protcols will be firmly in place for the show.

Call (801) 355.ARTS (2787) or click here for tickets.

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