Marie and Rosetta
True Colors Theatre
through December 30, 2021

As Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company comes back to live shows, they bring to the stage the show previously scheduled but delayed by the Covid pandemic problems.

George Brant wrote this one about the life history of the Godmother of Gospel, Sister Rosetta Tharpe. A woman of color who dealt with plenty of stress in her life in the South and on tours years ago. She had a huge following and performed until she had a couple of terrible strokes at age 55 and passed at 58 years old, after working with and inspiring quite a few famous performers of the 40’s and 50’s.

The show is set in the basement of a funeral home in Alabama, where we meet her doing some numbers in rehearsal with Marie Knight, who she had hired from the crew of Mahalia Jackson and she and Marie worked together and shared a lot of their lives together as objects for some speculation as to their relationship.

Amitria Fanae comes on as Rosetta and Jasmine Renee Ellis as Marie Knight. The show is one act directed by Andrea Frye with the music provided by S. Renee Clark on the keys and Spencer Bean as guitarist.

As the ladies work though their own design for the performance, they do present more than a dozen songs, some written by Rosetta. If it sounds like a lot of gospel, the truth is that it is; albeit Rosetta handled jazz and other pop genres as well in her career.

The theatre follows Covid protocols, so bring your CDC card or proof of testing as well as photo ID and you will need to keep your mask on while on the premises. The facility is part of the Southwest Arts Center on New Hope Rd. Parking is free, seats are all good views and everything is comfy. For more info and tickets go to TrueColorsTheatre.org