1959. Philadelphia. At Emerson’s seedy bar on Philly’s south side, an audience gathers to witness, unknowingly, one of legend Billie Holiday’s last solo performances, given four months before her death at forty-four. Full of heart-melting numbers like “God Bless the Child,” “Strange Fruit,” and “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” Billie shares with us her loves and losses in this award-winning musical fresh from its recent Broadway and London revivals. Pull up a chair and grab a drink for an intimate and epic evening with one of the greatest jazz and blues vocalists of all time – a riveting portrait of the life, the icon and the unforgettable music that is “Lady Day.”
presented by special arrangement with Samuel French
“I’m a musician who loves storytelling. Billie Holiday was one of the greatest storytellers of jazz and one of my personal favorites. Lady Day was bold enough to put politics in her work, with songs like “Strange Fruit,” when others of her era were not.” – S. Renee Clark, musical director
Mature themes and content.
Director | Eric J. Little |
Musical Director | S. Renee Clark |
Set Designers | Moriah and Isabel Curley Clay |
Costume Designer | Jeff Cone |
Lighting Designer | Rob Dillard |
Sound Designer | Rob Brooksher |
Props Designer | Maclare “MC” Park |
Production Stage Manager | Barbara Gantt O’Haley* |
Artistic Director | Tom Key |
Associate Artistic Director & Casting Director | Clifton Guterman |
*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, Theatrical Outfit, and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
** Member of United Scenic Artists
Piano | William Knowles |
Bass | Ramon Pooser |
Drums/Percussion | Lorenzo Sanford |
Production Manager | Jeff Millsaps |
Technical Director | Colin McCord |
Carpenters | Dristian Bailey, Chad Fenimore, Daniel Lewis, Dan Prince, Mike Young |
Master Electrician & Lightboard Operator | Damien Helms |
Electricians | Howard Carter, Phillip Wray, Karl Dickey, Piper Kirchofer |
Sound Engineer | Rob Brooksher |
Stage Management Production Assistant/Wardrobe | Becca Long |
1 hour 30 minutes with no intermission.
*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, Theatrical Outfit, and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Preview Performance | January 11, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Preview Performance | January 12, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Opening Night Performance | January 13, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Matinee Performance | January 14, 2018 | 2:30 pm |
Evening Performance | January 17, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Matinee Performance | January 18, 2018 | 2:30 pm |
Evening Performance | January 18, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Evening Performance | January 19, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Matinee Performance Post-Show Downtown Dialogue |
January 20, 2018 | 2:30 pm |
Evening Performance | January 20, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Matinee Performance | January 21, 2018 | 2:30 pm |
Evening Performance | January 24, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Student Matinee | January 25, 2018 | 11:00 am |
Evening Performance | January 25, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Evening Performance Macy’s Page to Stage Talk Back |
January 26, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Matinee Performance | January 27, 2018 | 2:30 pm |
Evening Performance | January 27, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Matinee Performance | January 28, 2018 | 2:30 pm |
Evening Performance | January 31, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Matinee Performance | February 1, 2018 | 2:30 pm |
Evening Performance | February 1, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Evening Performance | February 2, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Matinee Performance | February 3, 2018 | 2:30 pm |
Evening Performance | February 3, 2018 | 7:30 pm |
Closing Performance | February 4, 2018 | 2:30 pm |
Macy’s Page to Stage Post-Show Talk Back
Friday, January 26
Representatives from the creative team/staff share how they moved the show from script to finished production!
Post-Show Downtown Dialogue
Saturday, January 20
Be downtown and join a panel of special, non-theatre guests in an open dialogue about the social and global themes in the show! Open to all patrons with a ticket to any performance of the current production. Dialogue begins after a short break following the matinee and lasts one hour.