MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM

Name: MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM
Start: 2026-03-28T00:00:00
End: 2026-05-03T23:59:00
Location: Goodman Theatre

Goodman Theatre

Run Dates

2026.03.28 ~ 2026.05.03

Goodman Theatre

Premiere

About the show

Ma Rainey’s band is waiting. It’s 1927 Chicago, and “The Mother of the Blues” takes her time getting ready to record. Tensions and temperatures rise as the musicians recount tales of rage, joy, betrayal and faith in astonishing stories and a heart-stopping climax. Chicago legends Chuck Smith and Harry J. Lennix reunite for the play that smashed box office records in its 1997 Goodman premiere for this major revival of “a genuine American masterpiece” (Chicago Reader).

Creatives

August Wilson

Playwright/Author

August Wilson

Playwright/Author

Details

August Wilson Playwright Harry Lennix Associate Director/Music Director Chuck Smith Director Linda Buchanan Set Designer Evelyn M. Danner Costume Designer Jared Gooding Lighting Designer Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen Co-Sound Designers Lo Williams Assistant Director Marie Ramirez Downing Vocal Coach Dwight Andrews Orchestrations Greg Geffrard Intimacy and Violence Neena Arndt Dramaturg CAST E. Faye Butler Ma Rainey David Alan Anderson Cutler Matt DeCaro Sturdyvant Marc Grapey Irvin Tiffany Renee Johnson Dussie Mae Jabari Khaliq Sylvester Al’Jaleel McGhee Levee Kelvin Roston, Jr. Toledo Cedric Young Slow Drag production photo ©Justin Barbin

Where it's been performed

Goodman Theatre

Chicago

United States

Chicago

United States

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MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM

Run Dates

About the show

Creatives

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Where it's been performed