Nearly three decades after its record-setting Chicago premiere, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom returns to The Goodman for a special revival starting March 28.
The production reunites Chicago theater legends Chuck Smith and Harry J. Lennix and features an all-Chicago cast led by E. Faye Butler as Ma Rainey and Al’Jaleel McGhee as Levee.
“One person I miss having in the room is August Wilson, who was there in 1997,” said Goodman Family Resident Director Chuck Smith, who directed The Goodman’s acclaimed original production. “His work and advice led to the creation of a very special production that set a box office record at that time. I know we will all work to make something like that happen again.”
Set in a Chicago recording studio in 1927, the play follows Ma Rainey, known as the “Mother of the Blues”, and her band as tensions rise during a recording session. The story explores themes of race, power, and ambition during a defining moment in the history of blues music.
The production runs March 28 through April 26 at The Goodman’s Albert Theatre in downtown Chicago, with opening night scheduled for April 6.
Special events during the run include Black Affinity Night on April 10, featuring a live DJ set and conversation about the cultural roots of the blues, and College Night on April 22, which offers discounted tickets and a pre-show reception for college students.
Tickets range from $34 to $104 and are available through the Goodman Theatre box office or online at GoodmanTheatre.org.
