Time:
Harlem, USA
Place:
About 1929, before the start of The Great Depression,
Characters:
Paul Robeson: African American, male early 30s.
"Essie": Paul's wife, female early 30s.
Woodrow White: Harlem community leader, male mid 30s
Zelda: The Robeson's cook, female 40s
"Essie": Paul's wife, female early 30s.
Woodrow White: Harlem community leader, male mid 30s
Zelda: The Robeson's cook, female 40s
Synopsis:
Paul Robeson's acting career has grown to be a great success. At the same time his potential influence needed in the struggle for Negro freedom and civil rights in Harlem has grown as well. Pressure mounts in the Robeson household as to just what direction they must take for family and career development.
Bio:
Playwright-scholar, Hershell Norwood, seeks to produce his full length work Billie's Blues about jazz legend Billie Holiday. In November 2008 the play received a reading-performance at the historic Player's Club, Gramercy Park in Manhattan. In June of the same year, out of a possible 2,000 play scripts,
Downtown Urban Theatre Festival
(DUTF) chose Billie's Blues as one of 12 semi finalists and sponsored it in a stage performance at the Cherry Lane Theatre, New York. Currently, Hershell resides in Oregon and works on his full-length play, titled Fell the Tallest Tree, about the success and political downfall of actor/activist Paul Robeson.