This engagement is made possible in part through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
From her ancestral lineage to her arrival at a metaphorical crossroad, Debra Ann Byrd presents a tour-de-force journey of living memoir in "Becoming Othello: A Black Girl’s Journey." This autobiographical solo show chronicles the trials and triumphs of Byrd’s life: her joy-filled and tumultuous youth growing up in Harlem; Her experiences in foster care; Her growth as a pregnant teen and single parent; Her fateful encounter with a troupe of Shakespearean actors, navigating race and the classics; and ultimately her gender-flipped journey to playing Othello.
Interspersed with verses from "Othello" and dynamic multimedia elements, Byrd bares her soul in this vulnerable, personal, and resonant story of perseverance, discovery, and unconditional love. Directed by Shakespeare & Company founder Tina Packer and written by and starring Founding Artistic Director of the Harlem Shakespeare Festival and Artistic Director at Southwest Shakespeare Company Debra Ann Byrd, "Becoming Othello" is gripping, realistic, theatrical and dynamic.
A reception will be held at 6:30 p.m. The performance will begin at 7 p.m. The run time for this performance is 1 hour and 45 minutes with no intermission.
Content Warning: This show is based on Byrd’s real-life experiences, and includes content that may be distressing. Contact Executive Director Heidi Pinkston at hpinkston@piedmontarts.org for content-related questions.
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