A Black actress makes her 1955 Broadway debut in a backstage story crackling with wit and startling revelations.
BY ALICE CHILDRESS
DIRECTED BY DAWN M. SIMMONS
It’s 1955, and after enduring indignities and lost opportunities, Wiletta Mayer, a seasoned Black actress, is finally making her Broadway debut. Written by a white playwright, her star vehicle is the allegedly progressive “Chaos in Belleville,” which turns out to be anything but. Leading a cast of both younger and experienced actors, Wiletta challenges not only the soft racism of her white director but also the veiled prejudice that limits her aspirations and success. With warmth, humor, and sharp insight, this moving backstage look at identity and stereotypes cracks open searing truths about the American theater that remain heartbreakingly contemporary.
Phone: (617) 585-5678
Email: boxoffice@lyricstage.com
Additional time info:
Post show discussion January 14 and January 28.
2024/01/12 - 2024/02/04
Lyric Stage Company
140 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116
We are located on the second floor of 140 Clarendon Street. There are entrances on Clarendon Street and Stuart Street.
Clarendon Street Entrance
The Clarendon Street entrance can be accessed by seven steps (with handrails) from the sidewalk to the front door. This entrance will lead you to the building’s main lobby, where an elevator or flight of stairs will bring you to the Lyric Stage’s lobby on the second floor.
Stuart Street entrance
The Stuart Street entrance is at street level. When you enter, there are seven steps to the right and a lift to the left, which brings you up to the first floor. You may continue to the main lobby, where an elevator or flight of stairs will bring you to the Lyric Stage’s lobby on the second floor.