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

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