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Jazz 91.9 WCLK | Membership Matters

The Billie Holiday Theatre presents '50in50: Shattering the Glass Ceiling' Monologue Event

The Billie Holiday Theatre is proud to announce the return of its renowned monologue showcase series - 50in50 – with a special fifth anniversary edition of the show - 50in50: Shattering the Glass Ceiling. In recognition of the historic 2020 election which saw the country elect its first female and first Black Vice-President and in response to MacArthur “Genius” Dominique Morisseau’s curatorial statement, 50in50 will center around the concept of  women “shattering the glass ceiling” and what it means to defy, to shatter the glass and to reach beyond barriers.

For this year’s show, 50 original monologues were selected from women of African descent from across the globe and will be read by 50 women actors to include:  Lisa Arrindell (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Saints & Sinners, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof); Marsha Stephanie Blake (When They See Us, The Photograph, The Merchant of Venice); LaTanya Richardson Jackson (Luke Cage, A Raisin in The Sun, Blue Bloods);  Sanaa Lathan (The Perfect Guy, Love & Basketball, The Best Man); Dawnn Lewis (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Dreamgirls, A Different World); Audra McDonald (The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, A Raisin in the Sun); Celestine Rae (Boardwalk Empire, American Gangster, Blacklist); Retta (Good Girls, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, Parks and Recreation); Angelica Ross (Pose, Disclosure, American Horror Story); Michele Shay (Seven Guitars, Raisin in the Sun and Reparations at The Billie -director); Gabourey Sidibe (Antebellum, Empire, Precious); Phyllis Yvonne Stickney (How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The Women of Brewster Place, Malcolm X); Wanda Sykes (Black-ish, Norman Lear’s The Jeffersons, Ice Age); Pauletta Washington (She's Gotta Have It, The Old Settler and Autumn at The Billie) and Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty, Into the Woods, Soul Food) with music performed by Maritri Garrett. 

The show will have its virtual premiere via The Billie’s Facebook Live platform on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 7pm.

“Going into this fifth year of 50in50, it is really incredible to see the movement that has been created with this Series. It is one that has become a safe space and platform for agency and empowerment for Black women from all parts of the world to share their diverse and nuanced experiences and to really tackle the issues that affect us as Black women every day,” said Pauletta Washington, actor. “I am proud and honored to have been a part of this series for all five years and I love that these stories illustrate how Black women are stepping into their power.” 

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Ray Cornelius is one of Atlanta’s newest entertainment writers and media personalities. His arts and entertainment website, www.raycornelius.com spotlights the latest in “positive” African-American celebrity news and was established in 2012. Since that time Cornelius has covered a myriad of red carpet premieres, award shows and Atlanta-based films including Tyler Perry’s Temptation, The BronzeLens Film Festival, The Trumpet Awards, and The Steve Harvey’s Neighborhood Awards just to name a few. He has also interviewed a who’s who list of today’s top singers, actors and reality stars. With nearly 20 years of media experience, Cornelius has also worked as an associate producer for the Emmy-winning public affairs program, ATL Insider and with such award shows as The Soul Train Awards, The Trumpet Awards and BET Hip-Hop Awards.