BPF’s Season 44 performance schedule continues with a staged reading of Tom Middleton and The Ur-thello by playwright James Lewis Huss. John Wilson will direct the production and Janine Marie Boulad will act as stage manager.
Tom Middleton and The Ur-thello asks the audience to imagine a world where black men are beaten and killed by white men in power simply for being black. Now put down today’s paper and imagine it’s the English Renaissance. This is Urthello’s world. But not Urthello’s play.
This is Tom Middleton’s play, a tragedy in five acts about a white writer who has no idea what it’s like to be black. But he tries. Before Shakespeare wrote all those racist tropes in Othello, Middleton did it better. Tom Middleton and The Ur-thello—black comedy at its best.
The cast includes:
Louis Blanke, Musician – Wordsmith
Tom Middleton, Playwright – John Dignam
Philip Beaumont, Director – Jonathon Shorr
Brett/Elizabeth Cary, Actor – Will Beckstrom
Mary Sidney, Patron – Natalie Pilcher
Lucy Blanke, Partner – Shelby Sullivan
Pat Butch, Bartender – Jane Nitsch
First Constable – John Dignam
Second Constable – Janine Marie Boulad
The performance will be hosted at the Eubie Blake National Jazz and Cultural Center, 847 N. Howard St, Baltimore, MD 21201 on Saturday, April 5 at 11 a.m.
A discussion will follow the reading and all audience members are invited to participate.
BPF staged reading performances are free and we encourage everyone to attend and bring a friend to see the remaining staged readings that are taking place during the BPF’s Season 44.