Charles S. Dutton and Whoppi Goldberg in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom"

Dear TAML member,

Now appearing on Broadway together are Emmy Award winner, two-time Tony Award Nominee Charles S. Dutton and Academy Award and Golden Globe Award winner Whoppi Goldberg in two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom".

A group of black jazz musicians gathers in a Chicago recording studio in the 1920s to make one of the earliest blues recordings. But their rehearsal room turns into an arena for blowing off their anger at each other, at whites, and eventually even at God. How do African-Americans, survive in a system dominated by whites within a culture of institutionalized racism?

The original production of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom opened at the Cort Theatre in October 1984. The play, August Wilson's first Broadway production, won the 1984 New York Drama Critics Circle Award. Charles S. Dutton was nominated for a Tony Award for his prortrayal of Levee, a role he is reprising in the revival.

This extremely talented cast is directed by Marion McClinton and includes:

Charles S. Dutton..................Levee
Whoopi Goldberg................Ma Rainey
Louis Zorich..................Sturdyvant
Thomas Jefferson Byrd.............Toledo
Tony Cucci.....................Policeman
Jack Davidson......................Irvin
Carl Gordon.......................Cutler
Stephen McKinley Henderson.....Slow Drag
Anthony Mackie.................Sylvester
Heather Alicia Simms..........Dussie Mae

DATES & TIMES:

Opening Thursday, February 6, 2003
Closing Sunday, June 29, 2003
Tuesday @7pm; Wednesday - Saturday @8pm
Matinee performances Wednesday @2pm; Sunday @3pm

COST:

$50 - $80

Take advantage of 20% off with virtual coupons available at the following weblinks:
http://www.BroadwayOffers.com
http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/coupma.htm

Tickets must be purchased before March 2, 2003. Call Tele-charge: 800-432-7250.

LOCATION:

Royale Theatre
242 West 45th Street
New York, NY 10036
212-239-6200
http://www.marainey.com/main.html

DIRECTIONS:

SUBWAY: Take the N,Q,R,W or 1,2,3,9 to 42nd Street, walk North on Broadway to 45th Street and walk West on 45th Street to the theatre; Take the A,C,E to 42nd Street, walk North on Eighth Avenue to 45th Street and walk East on 45th Street to the theatre.

DRIVING: Use the following weblink:
http://maps.yahoo.com/py/ddResults.py?Pyt=Tmap&tarname=&tardesc=&tarhash=&taraddr=242+W+45th+St&tarcsz=New+York,+NY+10036-3901&newtcountry=us&newcountry=us&tuz=10036&doit=1

Special note: Partial proceeds will be donated to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) for tickets purchased on Tuesday, February 25, 2003 only. Use code word JOYNER!

The performance runs approximately two hours and 45 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission. Please be advised this production contains themes and language some people may find offensive. However, it serves to educate.

This will be one of those once in a life time events you will not want to miss! You can bet I'll be
there...

Enjoy,
Gregoire