Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

by Michael Stewart

Play with music Characters: 8 males (5 black, 3 white) 2 black females

Scenery: Unit set

It's 1927 in a rundown studio in Chicago where Ma Rainey is recording new sides of old favorites. More goes down in the session than music in this riveting portrayal of rage, racism, the self hate and exploitation.

"Searing ... funny, salty, carnal and lyrical.... Wilson has lighted a dramatic fuse that snakes and hisses through several anguished eras of American life. When the fuse reaches its explosive final destination, the audience is impaled by the impact." N.Y. Times.

"Brilliant ... explosive Dramatically riveting." Newhouse Newspapers.

Winner New York Drama Critics Circle Award.

124 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Tony-winning American playwright and librettist famous for his work on "Bye Bye Birdie", "Hello, Dolly!", and "42nd Street".