Pullman Porter Blues Sept. 18 &19
Seattle, WA — Seattle Repertory Theatre's New Play Program presents the first public performances of Seattle playwright Cheryl L. West's new musical, Pullman Porter Blues. The two workshop presentations will beSept. 18 and 19, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. in the Leo K. Theatre.
Tickets for the workshop are $15 and go on sale August 31 atwww.seattlerep.org or through the Box Office at 206-443-2222 (Toll-free 1-877-900-9285). Seating is general admission.
Set in 1937 on the Panama Limited railroad, Pullman Porter Blues centers on three generations of porters working the sleeping cars the night of the infamous Joe Louis/James Braddock boxing match. As the train chugs from Chicago towards New Orleans, grandfather, father, and son spar; racial tensions flare; and Midwest blues flavors the night.
Cast members include Seattle actors Elise Hunt, Allen Fitzpatrick, and Felicia Loud. Hunt was last seen in Seattle Rep's You Can't Take It With Youand at ACT in The Women. Acclaimed Seattle-based musical theatre performer Fitzpatrick is currently performing on Broadway in Memphis. In addition to many roles on the 5th Avenue stage (and last at the Rep as Elliot in Opus), Fitzpatrick has been on Broadway in Les Miserables (as Thenardier), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Damn Yankees, The Boys From Syracuse, 42nd Street, and The Sweet Smell of Success. Felicia Loud, one of the Northwest's premier soul singers, appeared in Intiman's Native Son, Crowns, and Black Nativity and Book-It Repertory Theatre's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and she received a Seattle Times Footlight Award in 2009 for her performance in Lady Day.
Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks.
Lisa Peterson, who directed An Iliad at Seattle Rep in May, returns to helm the workshop. J. Michael is the music director and composer. Originally from Alabama, Michael is one of the country's leading composers of gospel and spiritual music. Essentially a play with music (as opposed to a traditional musical), Pullman Porter Blues is woven with blues songs, mostly from the 1930s. A band is on stage as part of the show.
In 2008, Seattle Rep commissioned West to write Pullman Porter Blues, and the theatre has worked with the playwright through the development process. There have been two previous readings, but this is the first public performance.
"We have a long history of working with Cheryl, and this is an incredible work that has evolved to a very strong place over the last few years," said Seattle Rep Artistic Director Jerry Manning. "It is our goal to producePullman Porter Blues in the 2011-2012 season, and we're currently looking for co-producers."
Seattle Rep has previously produced four of West's plays: Birdie Blue, Jar the Floor, Play On!, and Holiday Heart, and they commissioned the gospel musical Rejoice!. West has lived in Seattle since 1999. Her work has appeared in theatres across the country, as well as for TV (adaptation ofHoliday Heart) and the web series Diary of a Single Mom.
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