Singing the B.D. Blues:
LangstonHughes
Queer Women of the Harlem Renaissance
FESTIVAL of NEW PLAYS
“Where she went, I don’t know. I mean to follow everywhere she goes; Folks say I’m crooked. I didn’t know where she took it. I want the whole world to know.”
—FROM “PROVE IT ON ME,” MA RAINEY (1928)
“I need a little sugar in my bowl. I need a little hot dog between my rolls. You gettin’ different, I’ve been told. Move your finger, drop something in my bowl.” —FROM “NEED A LITTLE SUGAR IN MY BOWL,” BESSIE SMITH (1930)
“Comin’ a time, B.D. women they ain’t gonna need no men. Comin’ a time, B.D. women they ain’t gonna need no men. Oh the way they treat us is a lowdown and dirty sin.” —FROM “B.D. WOMAN’S BLUES,” LUCILLE BOGAN (1935)
Many black female recording artists of the Harlem Renaissance were queer or bisexual, and their lyrics are full of this content. The most explicit lyricist of them all, Lucille Bogan (1897–1948) mostly recorded under her pseudonym “Bessie Jackson” and was one of the first American singer-songwriters to be recorded. Her lyrics have been some of the most sexually explicit in the history of the blues. She began recording lesbian-themed songs like “B.D. Woman’s Blues” (B.D. standing for “bull dyke”) later in her career. Inspired by this underappreciated artist, our play takes place on the night Lucille Turner prepares to perform her most explicitly sexual song yet—but before she performs this song, she must squelch resistance from her white manager, the voyeurism of her white audiences, and even members of the NAACP. Will Lucille bow to pressure or will she sing her blues?
blues for miss lucille
—ALEX VERMILLION, PRODUCTION DRAMATURG ISEMAN THEATER, 1156 CHAPEL STREET November 29 & December 3 at 8PM December 1 & 5 at 4PM
2018–19 SEASON
YALE SCHOOL OF DRAMA James Bundy, Dean Victoria Nolan, Deputy Dean Chantal Rodriguez, Associate Dean Kelvin Dinkins, Jr., Assistant Dean
Artistic Staff Production Stage Manager
ABIGAIL GANDY Makeup Advisor
ALEX VERMILLION
PRESENTS
BY CHRISTOPHER AUDLEY PUGLISI DIRECTED BY LOGAN ELLIS
EMILY DUNCAN WILSON Production Dramaturg
ALEX VERMILLION Stage Manager
AMANDA LUKE
blues for miss lucille is performed without an intermission.
Special Thanks
Production Staff Associate Production Manager
ALEX WORTHINGTON Properties Supervisor
DAVID PHELPS Run Crew
JULIA BATES RUO-QIAO LI YUNZHU ZENG
Sound Designer and Original Music
1929. A backstage dressing room.
Ti Ames, Jennifer Archibald, Meg Powers
blues for miss lucille Creative Team
Setting
Cast
in alphabetical order
Administration Associate Managing Director
Mr. Schulman
JOHN R. COLLEY Mr. Clarke
ERRON CRAWFORD Lucille
MOSES INGRAM The Boy
MANU NEFTA HEYWOT KUMASI Hattie
CIARA MONIQUE MCMILLIAN
SUPPORTED BY THE BENJAMIN MORDECAI III PRODUCTION FUND
CAITLIN CROMBLEHOLME Assistant Managing Director
The Studio Series productions are designed to be learning experiences that complement classroom work, providing a medium for students at Yale School of Drama to combine their individual talents and energies toward the staging of collaboratively created works. THE BENJAMIN MORDECAI III PRODUCTION FUND, established by a graduate of the School, honors the memory of the Tony Award-winning producer who served as Managing Director of Yale Repertory Theatre, 1982–1993, and as Associate Dean and Chair of the Theater Management Department from 1993 until his death in 2005.
LAURIE ORTEGA-MURPHY Management Assistant
ESTEFANI CASTRO House Manager
EMMA PERRIN Yale School of Drama productions are supported by the work of more than 200 faculty and staff members throughout the year.
LANGSTON HUGHES FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS Nov 29 Nov 29 Nov 30 Nov 30 Dec 1 Dec 1 Dec 3
4PM 8PM 4PM 8PM 4PM 8PM 4PM
Shoot Her, Shooter blues for miss lucille Rock Egg Spoon Shoot Her, Shooter blues for miss lucille Rock Egg Spoon Shoot Her, Shooter
Dec 3 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec 5 Dec 5
8PM 4PM 8PM 4PM 8PM
blues for miss lucille Rock Egg Spoon Shoot Her, Shooter blues for miss lucille Rock Egg Spoon
YALE SCHOOL OF DRAMA James Bundy, Dean Victoria Nolan, Deputy Dean Chantal Rodriguez, Associate Dean Kelvin Dinkins, Jr., Assistant Dean
Artistic Staff Production Stage Manager
ABIGAIL GANDY Makeup Advisor
ALEX VERMILLION
PRESENTS
BY CHRISTOPHER AUDLEY PUGLISI DIRECTED BY LOGAN ELLIS
EMILY DUNCAN WILSON Production Dramaturg
ALEX VERMILLION Stage Manager
AMANDA LUKE
blues for miss lucille is performed without an intermission.
Special Thanks
Production Staff Associate Production Manager
ALEX WORTHINGTON Properties Supervisor
DAVID PHELPS Run Crew
JULIA BATES RUO-QIAO LI YUNZHU ZENG
Sound Designer and Original Music
1929. A backstage dressing room.
Ti Ames, Jennifer Archibald, Meg Powers
blues for miss lucille Creative Team
Setting
Cast
in alphabetical order
Administration Associate Managing Director
Mr. Schulman
JOHN R. COLLEY Mr. Clarke
ERRON CRAWFORD Lucille
MOSES INGRAM The Boy
MANU NEFTA HEYWOT KUMASI Hattie
CIARA MONIQUE MCMILLIAN
SUPPORTED BY THE BENJAMIN MORDECAI III PRODUCTION FUND
CAITLIN CROMBLEHOLME Assistant Managing Director
The Studio Series productions are designed to be learning experiences that complement classroom work, providing a medium for students at Yale School of Drama to combine their individual talents and energies toward the staging of collaboratively created works. THE BENJAMIN MORDECAI III PRODUCTION FUND, established by a graduate of the School, honors the memory of the Tony Award-winning producer who served as Managing Director of Yale Repertory Theatre, 1982–1993, and as Associate Dean and Chair of the Theater Management Department from 1993 until his death in 2005.
LAURIE ORTEGA-MURPHY Management Assistant
ESTEFANI CASTRO House Manager
EMMA PERRIN Yale School of Drama productions are supported by the work of more than 200 faculty and staff members throughout the year.
LANGSTON HUGHES FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS Nov 29 Nov 29 Nov 30 Nov 30 Dec 1 Dec 1 Dec 3
4PM 8PM 4PM 8PM 4PM 8PM 4PM
Shoot Her, Shooter blues for miss lucille Rock Egg Spoon Shoot Her, Shooter blues for miss lucille Rock Egg Spoon Shoot Her, Shooter
Dec 3 Dec 4 Dec 4 Dec 5 Dec 5
8PM 4PM 8PM 4PM 8PM
blues for miss lucille Rock Egg Spoon Shoot Her, Shooter blues for miss lucille Rock Egg Spoon
Singing the B.D. Blues:
LangstonHughes
Queer Women of the Harlem Renaissance
FESTIVAL of NEW PLAYS
“Where she went, I don’t know. I mean to follow everywhere she goes; Folks say I’m crooked. I didn’t know where she took it. I want the whole world to know.”
—FROM “PROVE IT ON ME,” MA RAINEY (1928)
“I need a little sugar in my bowl. I need a little hot dog between my rolls. You gettin’ different, I’ve been told. Move your finger, drop something in my bowl.” —FROM “NEED A LITTLE SUGAR IN MY BOWL,” BESSIE SMITH (1930)
“Comin’ a time, B.D. women they ain’t gonna need no men. Comin’ a time, B.D. women they ain’t gonna need no men. Oh the way they treat us is a lowdown and dirty sin.” —FROM “B.D. WOMAN’S BLUES,” LUCILLE BOGAN (1935)
Many black female recording artists of the Harlem Renaissance were queer or bisexual, and their lyrics are full of this content. The most explicit lyricist of them all, Lucille Bogan (1897–1948) mostly recorded under her pseudonym “Bessie Jackson” and was one of the first American singer-songwriters to be recorded. Her lyrics have been some of the most sexually explicit in the history of the blues. She began recording lesbian-themed songs like “B.D. Woman’s Blues” (B.D. standing for “bull dyke”) later in her career. Inspired by this underappreciated artist, our play takes place on the night Lucille Turner prepares to perform her most explicitly sexual song yet—but before she performs this song, she must squelch resistance from her white manager, the voyeurism of her white audiences, and even members of the NAACP. Will Lucille bow to pressure or will she sing her blues?
blues for miss lucille
—ALEX VERMILLION, PRODUCTION DRAMATURG ISEMAN THEATER, 1156 CHAPEL STREET November 29 & December 3 at 8PM December 1 & 5 at 4PM
2018–19 SEASON