by Constance Jaquay Strickland

Quick peeks at #HFF26’s “Women on the Fringe” by Fringe Femmes who are behind the scenes this year. Click Here for all Check-Ins

WHO:  Dia Brown

WHAT: Mammy is a Star

WHERE: McCadden Theatre, 1157 N. McCadden Place

WHY: Mammy is a Star is a wonderful, lyrical tribute honoring the life and pioneering career of legend Hattie McDaniel. There is nothing like seeing a talented, beautiful, Black cast of actors onstage. There is nothing like seeing a large triple-threat ensemble onstage that is magnificently in step with one another, lightening up the stage.

What I loved about this show and the writing is the epicness, the sweeping timeline of it. It felt as though I had walked into the midst of a grand story and I was immediately invested. It is quite rare for Black artists to exist in plays that allow us to just live without having an immediate focus on our Blackness. It was a gift to be in the audience.

This play is about a family that has dreams in a time when they can boldly chase those dreams, but it is also a play about a girl refusing to be/do what is expected of her. A girl who creates her own narrative by standing by who she is, supported by her family.

I cannot wait to see how the work unfolds and manifests. We need new work that is original + expansive, and we need it right now from a wide variety of artists.

HOW: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/13702