Drawn from the Gloria Naylor novel, which was also made into a TV movie, The Women of Brewster Place "depicts seven courageous black women living on Brewster Place and their struggles against poverty, racism and troublesome men," according to the season announcement by the resident theatre in Washington, D.C. "By exploring America's African-American working class, the musical delves into the personal relationships, dreams and desires of a group of women who persevere in the face of life's disappointments.
Book, music and lyrics are by Tim Acito. This "world premiere musical adaptation vividly portrays the intense struggle all human beings face in their quest for happier lives."
Arena artistic director Molly Smith will direct the production, to play Arena's Kreeger Theatre May 4-June 24, 2007.
Also on the Arena slate is the world premiere family musical, A Civil War Christmas, by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel (How I Learned to Drive), commissioned by Arena Stage.
The unique show — to play Nov. 17-Dec. 31 in the Fichandler — is billed as an "epic musical drama, a new family tradition set in the final days of the Civil War. On the banks of the frozen Potomac, a Union quartermaster, a freedman blacksmith, and a Confederate raider sit down to a stolen Christmas Eve supper. Against staff advice, President Abraham Lincoln plans a daring solo ride across town to collect his wife's present. And a few miles away at Mary Surratt's boarding house, John Wilkes Booth toasts newly made plans. These stories mingle with evocative period songs like 'All Quiet Along the Potomac' and 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' for a truly unforgettable night of theatre." The Wendy Wasserstein and August Wilson will be represented by productions of their work in the coming year. Also on the Arena schedule:
