Trouble in Mind
PLAYWRIGHT
Alice Childress
DIRECTOR
Rachel May
January 30 – March 8, 2003
Gut-busting, in-your-face comedy!







SYNOPSIS
Wiletta Mayer is a successful actress by all standards. She works
steadily, respected by her fellow artists and beloved by audiences.
When “just another role” provokes a quiet revolution in her
conscience, Wiletta must choose between her life’s calling and a
new understanding of her place in the world. Never before
produced professionally in Atlanta, The Express is proud to
present Carol Mitchell-Leon in this bracing, little-seen comedy-
drama — a 1955 Obie Award winner, even — by a remarkable
playwright who dedicated her life to the depiction of the
extraordinary strength of ordinary people.
Trouble in Mind is a play within a play, offering unique peek into the life of
actors and directors during the rehearsal process. The audience
witnesses an emerging rebellion as the heroine, Wiletta,refuses to
enact a namby-Mammy, eitherin the play orfor her director. Setin
1950s New York City,the issues are current as ever– the factthat
[black] actors often find themselves playing stereotyped roles in which
they cannot bring themselves to believe, and the startling truth thatthe
most enlightened,”liberal” and well-meaning members of our
community can still harborlatent bigotry.
Playwright Alice Childress, also a successful actress and director ofthe
American Negro Theatre in NY, casts a sharp and unapologetic eye on
the state ofrace relations in theatre in the time immediately
surrounding Rosa Parks’refusalto sit where she was told. Today, we all
resistliving the story that someone else writes for us, yet we often can’t
resist creating our own versions for other people.
“ALL THE MORE POWERFUL FOR BEING SO FEARLESSLY UNPREDICTABLE.”
– Los Angeles TIMES
“SEARING AND SENSATIONALLY FUNNY!”
– New York Times
“EXPLOSIVE. INSANELY ENTERTAINING AND COMPLETELY ENGAGING.”
– New York Magazine
Cast & Creative Team
Charles Black
Sheldon Forrester
Bill Bouris
Henry
Pierre Brulator
Bill O'Wray
Corrin Cramer
Judy Sears
Jimmy Hiburn
Eddie Fenton
Daniel May
Al Manners
Carol Mitchell
Wiletta Mayer
Theroun patterson
John Nevins
Traci Tolmaire
Millie Davis
PLAYWRIGHT
Alice Childress
DIRECTOR
Rachel May
SCENIC DESIGNER
Rochelle BArker
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Jessica COale
COSTUME DESIGNER
Sydney Roberts
PROPERTIES DESIGNER/ SET DECORATOR
NICK BATTAGLIA
Stage Manager
Joan Foster McMarty
INTIMACY CHOREOGRAPHER
ASH ANDERSON
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
WHITNEY NELSON
Stage Manager
Joan Foster McMarty
PRODUCTION MANAGER
SEAMUS M. BOURNE
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
D. CONNOR MCVEY
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
ENGLISH BRACKETT
PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN
TOM PRIESTER
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
ELIZA CRAFT
CASTING DIRECTOR
SHEILA OLIVER
CASTING ASSOCIATE
JUSTIN KALIN
CHARGE SCENIC ARTIST
AMANDA NERBY
WIG DESIGNER
LAMONT SAMUELS
RUNNING TIME
Two hours with one intermission
CONTENT ADVISORY
Audience Advisory: This production contains full nudity, strong adult language and descriptions and depictions of sensitive and intense issues and situations. For more detailed information about potential trigger warnings, please click HERE
SEATING
There is open seating for this production.
PERFORMANCES
Previews
May 12 & 13 at 8 pm
Opening Night
May 14 at 8 pm
Regular Performances
May 14 – June 12, 2022
Wednesdays – Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
sign up for our e-newsletter
"*" indicates required fields