One-Man Play “A Brown Tale” Comes to Beverly Arts Center
Special Correspondent: A.C. McLean
Chicago actor lands recurring co-star role in Fox-TV Series “Empire”
Chicago born actor/playwright James T. Alfred will stage his autobiographical play A Brown Tale, directed by OBIE Award-winner Lou Bellamy, at the Beverly Arts Center’s Baffes Theatre, 2407 W. 111th St. (Chicago). The play will run for three days, starting Thursday February 19th, Friday February 20th, and Sunday February 22.
Written, produced and performed by Alfred, A Brown Tale is a poignant, one-man comedy/drama, with a coming-of-age, from the projects plotline. It weaves a tale from Alfred’s childhood on Chicago’s south side, to adulthood, highlighting the impact a community can have on one’s personal development.
Alfred is best known for his roles in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, as the character Levee, and as a lonely, conflicted Martin Luther King Jr. in playwright Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop the fictional depiction of the King’s last night on earth. Alfred also appeared alongside Kelsey Grammer and rapper/actor Clifford “T.I.” Harris, in the award-winning Starz TV series Boss, playing a gangster-turned-political broker.
Director, Bellamy is the founder and artistic director of Penumbra Theatre, which has produced 23 world premieres, including August Wilson’s first professional production; including the distinction of producing more August Wilson’s plays than any theater in the world. Bellamy’s directing credits include, Black Pearl Sings!, Radio Golf, A Raisin in the Sun, Jitney), as well as the staged reading of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom_ at the Kennedy Center.
Commenting on A Brown Tale Alfred, who is set to co-star alongside Taraji P. Henson in the Fox TV Series Empire, remarked, “Although the play is culturally specific, the story is universal.” Alfred elaborated by stating, “A Brown Tale celebrates Black culture and all of its splendor, while illuminating the ethos and pathos of Black life.”
A Brown Tale first played at Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul, MN. During the two-week run, it played to over 1,200 people and was listed #3 on the Star Tribune’s Top Ten Twin City Productions of 2013, and was also nominated for Best New Work/Play of 2013 by Broadwayworld.com/Minneapolis. Alfred was born and raised on Chicago’s South side, in the Woodlawn and Englewood communities. The first signs of promise were displayed in the Chicago Public Schools’ Oratory Competition where he placed first, and went on to represent district 14 state-wide. James graduated from Cardinal Stritch College with a B.A. in International Business and began, what would be a short lived career in Corporate America. After eighteen months he left the corporate world and taught Spanish in Chicago Public Schools. After a few years of experimentation James made the decision to pursue an acting career. He earned an M.F.A in Acting from the Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University, a professional training program in partnership with the Moscow Art Theater School (M.X.A.T). He studied Shakespeare in New York at the Public Theater’s Shakespeare Lab. James has worked at theaters across the United States, including the Tony Award winning Steppenwolf and Guthrie Theaters. James received special recognition in acting from Chicago’s African-American Arts Alliance in 2010. He is a four-time BTA Award nominee. In addition to acting, James writes and produces for both the screen and the stage. James is the founder of Turhan International, a Chicago based multimedia production company. TBTNews is proud to be the media partner for this amazing production. For media inquiry, contact A.C. McLean at 312.373.1778 or acm@acmpr.com. To purchase tickets, www.abrowntale.com. |
