Theatre Royal Stratford East and Belgrade Coventry Theatre today announces the cast for Kirsten Childs’ award-winning off-Broadway musical The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin. Opening on 1 February at Theatre Royal Stratford East Josette Bushell-Mingo directs Matt Dempsey (Director Bob/Policeman), Llandyll Gove (Cosmic/Prince), Karis Jack (Young Viveca), Ashley Joseph (Lucas), Sophia Mackay (Older Viveca), Jay Marsh (Gregory), Jessica Pardoe (Chitty Chatty/Miss Pain/Scarlett),Trevor A Toussaint (Daddy), Sharon Wattis (Mommy) and Shelley Williams (Granny/Yolanda/Nilda).
A life-affirming and funny coming-of-age story which follows Viveca, a bright African American girl from a black middle class family in LA, who dreams of becoming a dancer.
Choosing to face the conflicts of a changing era in America with optimism rather than revolution, she learns to reconcile the realities of racism and sexism with hope and faith and discovers her self-worth.
This award-winning off-Broadway musical is a cheeky and satirical look at how women have been defined by others and themselves from the 1960s to present day, with an original score fusing Motown, pop and R&B – think Sondheim meets Beyoncé!
Kirsten Childs is the award-winning writer of musicals whose other work includes Miracle Brothers (Vineyard Theatre), Fly, Funked Up Fairy Tales and Bella: An American Tall Tale which receives its world première this season. She is the recipient of Obie, Kleban, Larson, Richard Rodgers, Audelco, and Gilman/Gonzalez-Falla Awards, as well as Lortel and Drama Desk nominations
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