Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

GRETA OGLESBY most recently starred as Caroline in Caroline, or Change at the Guthrie Theatre. Other theatre credits include: Five Fingers of Funk, and Beggars’ Strike (Children’s Theatre Company); The Piano Lesson, Dinah Was, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, A Love Song for Miss Lydia, and Black Nativity (Penumbra Theatre); Gem of the Ocean, The Tempest, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Winter’s Tale and Two Gentlemen of Verona (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Crowns (Guthrie Theatre); Salt Fish and Bakes (Mixed Blood Theatre); and Once On This Island, King Lear, The Furies (Ten Thousand Things Theatre.)

A.C. SMITH has appeared at Court Theatre in The Piano Lesson, The First Breeze of Summer and Fences. He is always happy to return to a company that allows an actor to grow and be challenged at the same time. His portrayal of Troy Maxon in August Wilson’s Fences (Court) earned him the prestigious Jeff Award for lead actor in a drama. He has appeared at the Victory Gardens Theatre , Timeline Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, The Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, Illinois Theatre Center, Second City, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater to name a few.

ALFRED H. WILSON is happy to be returning to Court Theatre.  Recent credits include August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean and Radio Golf (Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati), and Radio Golf (Pittsburgh Public Theatre).  Chicago credits include Bourbon at the Border (Eclipse Theatre), Panther Burn (MMPAACT), Jitney and Two Trains Running (Pegasus Players), where he was awarded a Jeff Citation as best actor.  He has also worked at the Goodman Theatre and Victory Gardens Theatre, and is a co-founder of Onyx Theatre Ensemble.

CEDRIC YOUNG has worked at most of Chicago’s theatres as well as many regional houses. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is his debut on Court Theatre’s stage. Most recently he played Jesse in I Just Stopped By to See the Man at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Some other roles include: Troy in Fences, also directed by Mr. Parson, Walter Lee in A Raisin In the Sun, Turnbo in Jitney, Bynum in Joe Turner’s Come & Gone, Crixus in Coming of the Hurricane, and Sam in Master Harold & the Boys. Cedric has also appeared in many films and television series.

THOMAS J. COX is thrilled to return to Court Theatre, where he appeared in Fräulein Else and Raisin. Thom is a founding ensemble member of Lookingglass Theatre, where he has participated in over thirty productions since 1988. Other performing credits include Illinois Theater Center; Weston Playhouse Theatre Company (Vermont), Victory Gardens Theater, Northlight Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Company, Goodman Theatre, and film for The House Theatre. Directing Credits: Lookingglass; Eclipse; Piven Workshop; Weston. Film/Television credits: Since You’ve Been Gone (Miramax), Brotherhood (Showtime), and Chi-Girl (Van Lier Productions).

STEPHEN SPENCER made his Court debut last season in Wait Until Dark. Chicago productions include Congo Square’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Goodman) and The House that Jack Built. As an Associate Artist at Chicago Dramatists he’s performed in countless new play readings and the Jeff Award winning The Liquid Moon. As a founding member of The Shakespeare Project he’s directed or performed in over 30 plays of the Canon. He’s worked regionally and overseas, touring throughout Russia, including Moscow’s Leninsky Komsomol Theatre. He also performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Recent film: Public Enemies; Morning Due (Cannes 2008) Son of America, and Greg’s Leg.

KRISTY JOHNSON is thrilled to make her Court Theatre debut. Previous credits include: A Song for Coretta (Eclipse Theatre Company), It’s A Wonderful Life: A Radio Play (Touring Company, American Theater Company), I Am Who I Am: The Story of Teddy Pendergrass (Black Ensemble Theatre), The Trial (eta Creative Arts Foundation) and others. In 2008, she received a Black Theatre Alliance Award for Most Promising Actress. Kristy is a graduate of Harvard University.

KELVIN ROSTON, JR. is happy to be making his Court Theatre stage debut. His last work with Court was as the music consultant for The Piano Lesson. Kelvin’s Chicago stage credits include Pill Hill (eta), To Be Young, Gifted, and Black (ITC), Saint James Infirmary (Congo Square), Drip (eta), and Get Ready (eta).  Other credits include: Dreamgirls, Death and the King’s Horseman, Guys and Dolls, Damn Yankees, Before it Hits Home, and many others.

JAMES T. ALFRED makes his Court Theatre debut in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. This also marks his third of August Wilson’s ten play cycle. Other Wilson credits include Jitney and Fences, both directed by Obie Award Winning Director Lou Bellamy. Regional credits include The Glass Menagerie (Steppenwolf Theatre), To Kill a Mockingbird (Arizona Theatre Company/KC Rep), RedShirts (Penumbra/Round House Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (American Repertory Theatre), and The Baccae (Moscow Art Studio Theatre). James T. Alfred is a graduate of the Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University and holds an M.F.A in Acting from the Moscow Art Theatre School.

DAVID CHRZANOWSKI is delighted to be working with Court Theatre for the first time. Other Chicago productions include work at: Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Victory Gardens, Polarity Ensemble Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Lifeline, Silk Road Theatre Project, The Goodman Theatre, and Apple Tree Theatre. Regional work includes stops at: Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (six seasons), Kentucky Shakespeare (four seasons), Milwaukee Repertory Theater, the Performance Network in his home town of Ann Arbor, and many colleges throughout the Midwest.