MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM
Category
Play
Country
United States
Run Dates
Mar 28 - May 3, 2026
NOW
Venue
Run Time
150 minutes
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).
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