Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe presents ‘Cotton Club Cabaret’
Company returns to its roots with its debut production from 2000
SARASOTA, FL – Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s sizzling 15th anniversary season concludes with Cotton Club Cabaret, a reprise of its first-ever official production in 2000. The joint will be jumpin’ with this high-spirited, high-stepping musical revue featuring favorite songs from the greatest entertainers of the Harlem Renaissance era, including Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Cab Calloway. Theatre patrons will be transported back in time to the legendary premier nightclub of old Harlem, right here in Sarasota.
The cast members are: Terrell Alexander, Ariel Blue, Shelton Brown, Earley Dean, Charles Westley Lattimore Jr., Marta McKinnon, Chakara Rosa and Joshua Thompson. Audience members will also enjoy the return of Tarra Conner jones, who first appeared with WBTT during this season’s holiday presentation of “Black Nativity.” Nate Jacobs, WBTT’s founder, artistic director and creator of the show, will direct. Choreographer is Donald Frison. Costume designer is Cristy Owen. Scene design by Mark and Donna Buckalter.
“I thought it was fitting to end our 15th anniversary season with the same show that got us started. Some of the songs and faces are different, but the commitment to perform our very best remains unchanged,” said Jacobs. “This show is a tribute to a bygone era in Harlem, when the Cotton Club was the premier nightclub where black and white, famous and soon-to-be famous artists entertained the wealthy, white audiences. Thankfully the country has come a long way since those segregated days. And thanks to our supporters in the community, WBTT has come a long way since our meager beginnings 15 years ago.”
Show runs Tuesdays through Sundays, July 8 through August 9, with matinees on Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are $29.50/adults, $16.50/students. To purchase, go to westcoastblacktheatre.org or call the Box Office at (941) 366-1505.
About Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe:
The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe of Florida, Inc. is the only professional black theater company on Florida’s West Coast. The mission is to produce plays that promote and celebrate the African-American experience, attract diverse audiences, while using its productions as a vehicle for supporting African-American artists and building the self-esteem of African-American youth. For more information on WBTT, visit the website at westcoastblacktheatre.org or call (941) 366-1505.
