Details

Nicknamed the "Empress of the Blues", Bessie Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s/1930s. She is often regarded as one of the greatest performers of her era and was a major influence on other jazz singers. Ma Bessie and Her Blues Troupe perform a narrated show, featuring tunes such as "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "Ain't Nobody's Business" as well as showcasing many of Bessie's songs. The show chronicles Bessie's life from a one-room shack in Blue Goose Hollow, to becoming the highest-paid black entertainer of that time, to the tragic accident on Route 61 in September 1937 that ended her life aged 43 years.

Cast/Performers

Julia Titus (vocals), Sam Kelly (drums), Tony Qunta (acoustic guitar), Marianne Windham (double bass), Clare Hirst (sax / clarinet), Claude Deppa (trumpet), Andy Wilkin (narration)

Creatives/Company

Musical Director: Dom Barnett (piano)