Lady Day Digital playbill
Photo by Rebecca Gudelunas
|
LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL by Lanie Robertson The time: Midnight on a night in March 1959 Emerson’s Bar and Grill is based on an actual performance that happened at a South Philadelphia bar on March 14, 1959. It was four months before her death. |
A note from the Artistic Director
We are so happy to welcome you back to our theatre after two years. We have missed you but you have stayed close and your support over this time has allowed us to keep moving forward and to bring you this beautiful play. We chose this show as our return to the stage because Billie Holiday is one of those rare artists who was able to transmute very real pain into beautiful music. We were inspired by her candor, her willingness to discuss and explore her own personal heartbreak as well as the extreme bigotry she faced as a Black woman, and her ultimate resilience as a human being. At a time when all of us are grappling with grief and uncertainly after the last two years, Billie Holiday serves as an inspiration to us all.
Cast
Billie Holiday - Ebony Pullum
Jimmy Powers (accompanist) - Shawn Bobien
Production Staff
Director - Katrina Shobe
Musical Director/Sound Designer - Damien Figueras
Stage Manager - Eleanor Safer
Set Design - Paul Kuhn
Lighting Design - Steve Carpenter/Paul Kuhn
Costume/Prop Design - Aetna Gallagher
Master Electrician - Steve Carpenter
Photographer/Poster - Rebecca Gudelunas
Builder - Francesca Gangi
Curio Staff
Artistic Director - Paul Kuhn
Managing Director - Gay Carducci
Artistic Associate - Aetna Gallagher
Director of Development - Meg Trelease
Company Manager - Colleen Hughes
Director of Education - Tessa Kuhn
Administrative Assistant - Judith Gallagher
We are so happy to welcome you back to our theatre after two years. We have missed you but you have stayed close and your support over this time has allowed us to keep moving forward and to bring you this beautiful play. We chose this show as our return to the stage because Billie Holiday is one of those rare artists who was able to transmute very real pain into beautiful music. We were inspired by her candor, her willingness to discuss and explore her own personal heartbreak as well as the extreme bigotry she faced as a Black woman, and her ultimate resilience as a human being. At a time when all of us are grappling with grief and uncertainly after the last two years, Billie Holiday serves as an inspiration to us all.
Cast
Billie Holiday - Ebony Pullum
Jimmy Powers (accompanist) - Shawn Bobien
Production Staff
Director - Katrina Shobe
Musical Director/Sound Designer - Damien Figueras
Stage Manager - Eleanor Safer
Set Design - Paul Kuhn
Lighting Design - Steve Carpenter/Paul Kuhn
Costume/Prop Design - Aetna Gallagher
Master Electrician - Steve Carpenter
Photographer/Poster - Rebecca Gudelunas
Builder - Francesca Gangi
Curio Staff
Artistic Director - Paul Kuhn
Managing Director - Gay Carducci
Artistic Associate - Aetna Gallagher
Director of Development - Meg Trelease
Company Manager - Colleen Hughes
Director of Education - Tessa Kuhn
Administrative Assistant - Judith Gallagher
Cast and Crew Bios
Ebony Pullum (Lady Day) is an actress, singer and teaching artist. Ebony is excited and feels privileged for this opportunity to perform such a profound piece of theater and thankful that Curio is shining light on this beautiful yet tortured soul. Some notable regional credits include: 11th Hour “Soon”. Peoples Light: “The Ancient Oak”. Putana: PAC- “Tis Pity” ; Shug Avery: Theater Horizon- The Color Purple (Barrymore Award winner); Curio Theatre Co. Paulina in “The Winters Tale”. Lantern Theater: “Red Velvet”. (Barrymore Nominated) The Kimmel Center: “Cristal Palace”. Quintessence Theater: “My Fair Lady”, “The Broken Heart”, “Love's Labor's Lost”, “Mother Courage and her Children”. New York: Freedom Riders (June Havoc Theater).
Shawn Bobien (Jimmy Powers /accompanist) A self-motivated and organized professional with over 5 years' experience providing thorough and skillful support to Pastors, Singers and Artists. Currently studying at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA for a BA in piano performance. I can teach, read music, play by ear, and direct a band. I have worked with Grammy award winning producer Troy Taylor as well as with artists Devon Culture, Trey Songs, dru hill, Kevin Ross among others. Highly organized and independent; able to effectively coordinate tasks to accomplish projects with timeliness and creativity. Proven track record by accompanying artists such as, Jonathan Nelson, Damita Haddon, Last Call, Lowell Pye, Jason Nelson, Pastor Dorian Morgan, Anton Milton and many others.
Katrina Shobe (Director) is a Philly based theater artist and teacher. She is a 2016 University of the Arts Alum. Katrina has worked with Theatre in the X, EgoPo Classic Theater company, The BridgePHL festival, Theatre Exile and AMH Production. Katrina is passionate about telling stories about and for her community. She finds joy in teaching, learning, and fierce collaboration whether it be through theatre or in the classroom. There is always room to learn more and share more. :)
Damien Figueras (Musical Director/Sound Design) is a two-time Barrymore nominated Sound Designer (for his work on Moth at Azuka Theatre, and Antihero at Tribe of Fools). Other credits include companies such as Walnut Street Theatre, Lantern Theatre Company, 11th Hour, Resident Theatre Company, and more. As always, he would like to dedicate his work to the memory of his mother. DFigueras.com
Eleanor Safer (Stage Manager) is a freelance, Philly-based stage manager. Management credits include: The Hound of the Baskervilles [Theatre Horizon, Gretna Theatre], The Rivals [Bristol Riverside Theatre], Egoli, The Lydie Breeze Trilogy [EgoPo Classic Theatre]. During the early pandemic, Eleanor co-produced the Going Viral Festival, which digitally produced 25 new plays and showcased over 100 artists. She was also the assistant producer of the 2018 International Fringe Festival in Be’er Sheva, Israel. www.eleanorsafer.com
Steve Carpenter (Lighting Design) is a West Philly theatre artist who has been a proud Curio company member since 2011. In addition to wearing many hats for Curio, he has worked regionally with Hedgerow, South Camden Theatre, Bristol Riverside, Freedom Chapel Dinner Theatre, and Historic Philadelphia. Love to Ib.
Paul Kuhn (Set Design) has been a founding company member and Artistic Director for 17 years. His favorite sets designed at Curio have been Eurydice, Equus, The Weir, Death And The Maiden, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The Birds, and All My Sons. Much love to Gay, Tessa, Shaun, Marlowe, Jasper, and Hoagie.
Aetna Gallagher (Costume Design) is a founding company member of Curio working as an actor and costume designer for the past 17
seasons. Aetna is thrilled to be in a room with... people, experiencing theatre again! Thanks and love to my amazing family: John, Elizabeth, Judy, Danny and Jack.
A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU!!
John Gallagher, Greg Scott, Elizabeth Gallagher, Ken Opdenaker, C.J. Keller, and Kyle Fennie.
John Gallagher, Greg Scott, Elizabeth Gallagher, Ken Opdenaker, C.J. Keller, and Kyle Fennie.
LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com
(THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS OR STREAMS IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR(S)’S RIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW.)
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: https://concordtheatricals.com/resources/protecting-artists
Support provided by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund
(THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS OR STREAMS IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR(S)’S RIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW.)
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: https://concordtheatricals.com/resources/protecting-artists
Support provided by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund
