The Fine Arts Center Theatre Company is presenting a provocative comedy from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark. The incisive play draws on the screwball films of the 1930s to take a funny and irreverent look at racial stereotypes in Hollywood. It runs Feb. 24 – March 20, 2022 and is directed by Betty Hart, the Denver-based director and actor and president of the Colorado Theatre Guild.
The play is a 70-year journey through the life of Vera Stark, a clever Black maid and budding actress, and her tangled relationship with her boss, Gloria, a white Hollywood star desperately trying to hold on to her career. When circumstances collide and both women land roles in the same Southern epic, the story behind the cameras leaves Vera with a surprising and controversial legacy that scholars will debate for years to come.
“By the Way, Meet Vera Stark is a funny, poignant and unexpected journey exploring the life and career of black film actress Vera Stark, shining a light on past and present-day Hollywood and American culture,” Hart said in a press release. “I love art that surprises and keeps us thinking days after viewing. This play does just that.”
The play stars Cleveland-based actor Lynnette R. Freemen as Vera and regional favorite Rebecca Myers (last seen on the FAC stage in The Sound of Music) as Gloria. They are joined by FAC regulars Marisa D. Hébert, Mark Rubald and Michael Lee. Dana Scurlock and André Revels will make their FAC debut.
The creative team includes Christopher L. Sheley (scenic design), Azalea Fairley (costume design), Holly Anne Rawls (lighting design), Johnathan Taylor (sound design), Earon Nealey (wig design) and Neil Trujillo (videography).
Tickets are on sale now at fac.coloradocollege.edu or through the FAC box office at (719) 634-5583.
Know Before You Go
Make an evening of your date night at the theater. Enjoy a cocktail and small plates in the Fine Arts Center’s Deco Lounge. Wine, beer, craft cocktails and small plates are available 90 minutes before showtime.
Read More
Where to Find Live Theater in Colorado Springs
Funky Fashion and Thought-Provoking Art at First Friday Downtown
Claire Swinford Named Executive Director of the Bee Vradenburg Foundation
