May 30, 2018
Page 9
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Deidrie Henry as Billie Holiday in “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill,” a riveting portrait of Holiday’s life that features iconic songs like “God Bless the
Child” and “Strange Fruit.” The show opens Friday, June 1 and continues through July 1 at Portland Center Stage at the Armory.
‘Lady Day’ at the Armory
Famed jazz singer comes to life in riveting portrait
Deidrie Henry returns to The Ar-
mory to star as Billie Holiday in “Lady
Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill,” a riv-
eting portrait of the famed jazz singer’s
life told through an imagined final per-
formance in a small bar in South Phila-
delphia in 1959.
Featuring iconic songs like “God
Bless the Child,” “Ain’t Nobody’s
Business,” “When a Woman Loves a
Man,” “What a Little Moonlight Can
Do” and “Strange Fruit,” the show is
an all-access pass to Holiday’s humor
and hopefulness, as the legendary sing-
er takes us on a journey through the
highs and lows of her tumultuous life,
interspersed with exuberant renditions
of her beloved repertoire.
Henry, who most recently played
Blanche in “A Streetcar Named De-
sire” at The Armory, will be joined
on stage by Abdul Hamid Royal,
the production’s music director who
also plays the role of Jimmy Powers,
along with local musicians Charles
Neal (drums) and Andre St. James
(bass).
“Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and
Grill,” opens on Friday, June 1, and
runs through July 1 on the Armory’s
U.S. Bank Main Stage.
Regular tickets start at $25 and can
be purchased online at pcs.org, by
phone at 503-445-3700 or in-person at
the box office at 128 N.W. 11th Ave. $5
tickets are available for Oregon Trail
Card holders through the Arts for All
program.
For more information visit www.
pcs.org/ladyday.