Dessa Rose (musical)
Encyclopedia
Dessa Rose is a musical
based on the book by Sherley Anne Williams
with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
and music by Stephen Flaherty
. It tells the story of a young black woman and a young white woman and their journey to acceptance in 1847 in the ante-bellum South, as they tell their story to their grandchildren.
and LaChanze.
Dessa Rose premiered at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre at Lincoln Center
, New York City, from February 17 in previews, officially March 21 to May 29, 2005. The director and choreograher was Graciela Daniele
, with Set Design by Loy Arcenas, Costume Design by Toni-Leslie James, Lighting Design by Jules Fisher
and Peggy Eisenhauer
, and Orchestrations by William David Brohn
and Christopher Jahnke. The cast featured LaChanze
as Dessa Rose and Rachel York
as Ruth.
A regional production was staged by TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, California, October 7, 2006 through October 29. Linda Mugleston and Carly Hughes were featured.
The New England Premiere was at New Repertory Theatre in 2008. It was directed by Rick Lombardo. Music direction was by Todd Gordon, choreography by Kelli Edwards, fight direction by Meron Langsner, sets by Peter Colao, costumes by Frances Nelson McSherry, and lights by Frank Messiner Jr. It starred Leigh Barret, Uzo Aduba, and Todd Allan Johnson.
A cast album was recorded on May 2, 2005 and released by Jay Productions.
The music contains "American roots music — blues, folk, different hymns, early kinds of gospel, the idea of call-and-response, which was a coded way the slaves communicated so that the white people thought they were just singing."
Act II
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
based on the book by Sherley Anne Williams
Sherley Anne Williams
Sherley Anne Williams was born in Bakersfield, California and was an African-American poet. Many of her works tell stories about her life in the African-American community. When she was little her family picked cotton in order to get money. At the age of eight her father died of tuberculosis and...
with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Lynn Ahrens
Lynn Ahrens is an American writer and lyricist for the musical theatre, television and film. She has collaborated with Stephen Flaherty for many years...
and music by Stephen Flaherty
Stephen Flaherty
Stephen Flaherty is an American composer of musical theatre. He works most often in collaboration with the lyricist/bookwriter Lynn Ahrens...
. It tells the story of a young black woman and a young white woman and their journey to acceptance in 1847 in the ante-bellum South, as they tell their story to their grandchildren.
Productions
Dessa Rose had a work shop in Summer 2003 with Donna MurphyDonna Murphy
Donna Murphy is an American stage, film, television actress and singer.Murphy has won two Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for her roles in Passion as Fosca and in The King and I as Anna Leonowens...
and LaChanze.
Dessa Rose premiered at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre at Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
, New York City, from February 17 in previews, officially March 21 to May 29, 2005. The director and choreograher was Graciela Daniele
Graciela Daniele
Graciela Daniele is an Argentine-American dancer, choreographer, and theatre director.-Biography:Born at Buenos Aires, Daniele began her dance training at the age of seven at Teatro Colón, Argentina's equivalent of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre...
, with Set Design by Loy Arcenas, Costume Design by Toni-Leslie James, Lighting Design by Jules Fisher
Jules Fisher
Jules Fisher is a lighting designer and producer. He is credited with lighting designs for more than 200 productions over the course of his 45 year career in Broadway and off-Broadway shows, as well extensive work in film, ballet, opera, television, and rock and roll concert tours...
and Peggy Eisenhauer
Peggy Eisenhauer
Peggy Eisenhauer is an American lighting designer for both theatre and films. She has designed more than twenty Broadway shows and frequently collaborates with Jules Fisher.-Career:...
, and Orchestrations by William David Brohn
William David Brohn
William David Brohn is an American arranger and orchestrator, best known for his theatre scores of musicals such as Miss Saigon, Ragtime and Wicked...
and Christopher Jahnke. The cast featured LaChanze
LaChanze
LaChanze is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical in 2006 for her role in The Color Purple....
as Dessa Rose and Rachel York
Rachel York
Rachel York is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in City of Angels, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Les Misérables, Victor Victoria, Kiss Me, Kate, Sly Fox, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels...
as Ruth.
A regional production was staged by TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, California, October 7, 2006 through October 29. Linda Mugleston and Carly Hughes were featured.
The New England Premiere was at New Repertory Theatre in 2008. It was directed by Rick Lombardo. Music direction was by Todd Gordon, choreography by Kelli Edwards, fight direction by Meron Langsner, sets by Peter Colao, costumes by Frances Nelson McSherry, and lights by Frank Messiner Jr. It starred Leigh Barret, Uzo Aduba, and Todd Allan Johnson.
A cast album was recorded on May 2, 2005 and released by Jay Productions.
The music contains "American roots music — blues, folk, different hymns, early kinds of gospel, the idea of call-and-response, which was a coded way the slaves communicated so that the white people thought they were just singing."
Original cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| LaChanze | Dessa Rose (ages 16 and 80) |
| Rachel York | Ruth (ages 20 and 84) |
| Tina Fabrique | Rose, House Slave, Ada, Auntie Chole |
| Rebecca Eichenberger | Ruth's mother, Mrs. Steele, Susannah |
| Kecia Lewis | Dorcas, Field Hand, Gemina, Janet |
| Eric Jordan Young | Kaine, Field Hand, Philip |
| David Hess David Hess David Alexander Hess was an American actor, singer, and songwriter.-Music career:In 1956, Hess recorded the original version of the Otis Blackwell composition "All Shook Up" under the stage name David Hill... |
Sheriff Hughes, Trader Wilson, Bertie Sutton, Parishioner, Auctioneer |
| Michael Hayden Michael Hayden Michael Vincent Hayden, is a retired United States Air Force four-star general and former Director of the National Security Agency and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency... |
Adam Nehemiah |
| William Parry | Robert Steele, Parishioner, Auctioneer, Mr. Oscar, Sheriff Pine |
| Norm Lewis Norm Lewis Norm Lewis is an American actor and baritone singer. He has appeared on Broadway as well as in regional theatre.-Life:Lewis was born in Tallahassee, Florida and grew up in Eatonville, Florida... |
Nathan |
| James Stovall James Stovall James Stovall was an American actor best known for his work in Broadway and regional theater, appearing in productions of Once on This Island, The Life and Ragtime, and The Rocky Horror Show, having made his Broadway debut in the short-lived production of Bob Fosse's musical Big Deal... |
Haker, Field Hand |
| Soara-Joye Ross Soara-Joye Ross Soara-Joye Ross, previously known as Joy Ross, Joye Ross, Joy E. T. Ross, and also known as Soara-Joyce Ross is a notable American actress and singer... |
Field Hand, Parishioner, House Slave, Annabel |
Songs
Act I- We Are Descended
- Comin' Down the Quarters
- Ol' Banjar
- Something of My Own
- Ink
- The Gold Band
- Little Star
- Ladies
- Bertie's Waltz
- At the Glen
- Capture the Girl
- Fly Away
- Fly Away / How Long Will It Be?
- Terrible
- Their Eyes Are Clear, Blue Like Sky
- Twelve Children
Act II
- Noah's Dove
- Fly Away (reprise)
- The Scheme
- In the Bend of My Arm
- Better If I Died
- Ten Petticoats
- Just over the Line
- A Pleasure
- White Milk and Red Blood
- We Are Descended (reprise)
Awards and nominations
- 2005 Lucille Lortel AwardLucille Lortel AwardsThe Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986...
Outstanding Lighting Design - Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (nominee) - 2005 Lucille Lortel AwardLucille Lortel AwardsThe Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986...
Outstanding Sound Designer - Scott Lehrer (nominee) - 2005 AUDELCOAUDELCOAUDELCO, the Audience Development Committee, Inc., was established in 1973 by the late Vivian Robinson to honor excellence in New York African American Theatre through presentation of Vivan Robinson/AUDELCO Recognition Awards...
Costume Design - Toni-Leslie James (nominee) - 2005 Outer Critics Circle AwardOuter Critics Circle AwardThe Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season. The awards are decided upon by theater critics who review for out-of-town newspapers, national publications, and other media outlets...
Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical (nominee) - 2005 Obie AwardObie AwardThe Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City...
Performance – LaChanze (Winner)