Contact: Jim Torres (617) 529-1670, JimTorres@SpeakEasyStage.Com

(BOSTON) – From November 17 thru December 9, 2006, SpeakEasy Stage will proudly present the New England premiere of the hit Off-Broadway musical, THE BUBBLY BLACK GIRL SHEDS HER CHAMELEON SKIN.

This “sharp and tasty new musical” (New York Times) will run for four weeks in the Nancy and Edward Roberts Studio Theatre in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End. For tickets or more information, the public is invited to call 617-933-8600.

Norton Award-winner Jacqui Parker will direct, and Boston Conservatory junior Stephanie Umoh will star in the show, which features a book, music and lyrics by former Broadway dancer Kirsten Childs.

The musical follows a young African-American woman, one Viveca “Bubbly” Stanton, from the 60s thru the 90s, from LA to New York, as she pursues her dream to become “the greatest dancing star in the world.”

More than just another showbiz saga, THE BUBBLY BLACK GIRL SHEDS HER CHAMELEON SKIN is first and foremost a story of self-discovery, as Viveca slowly learns to let go of her bubbly façade and embrace her true being.

The musical, which is loosely based on Ms. Childs’ own life, was originally produced by Playwrights Horizons in New York in June 2000, and featured Broadway star LaChanze (The Color Purple) in the title role. Recently the original cast reunited to do a recording of the show, which will be released in Spring, 2007 by Sh-K-Boom records.

A native of Los Angeles, Kirsten Childs had a successful career as a Broadway dancer before becoming a composer/lyricist. Despite little formal dance training, she got the first show for which she auditioned, a national tour of Bob Fosse’s CHICAGO, and went on to appear in DANCIN’, JERRY’S GIRLS and SWEET CHARITY.

She also did some film work, most notably appearing in the film See No Evil, Hear No Evil with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor.

Ms. Childs transitioned from dancing to writing in part as a response to losing many dancer friends to AIDS, but mostly with the intention of creating work for the many talented but under-utilized African-American actors she knew. Since BUBBLY, she has had a number of works produced, including Wasted at the George Street Playhouse, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie (Amazing Grace) by Theatreworks/USA, at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, and most recently Miracle Brothers at the Vineyard Theatre. Ms. Childs has also written songs for Dianne Reeves, and is currently working on original musicals with playwright Charles Randolph-Wright as well as novelist Walter Mosley.

A member of Dramatists Guild Council, Ms. Childs is also a professor at New York University’s Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program at the Tisch School Of The Arts, and a Theatre Development Fund Mentor in Wendy Wasserstein's “Open Doors” Program.

Director Jacqui Parker most recently wowed Boston audiences with her performance as “Caroline” in the SpeakEasy Stage Company production of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE. Ms. Parker is the Artistic Director of the Our Place Theatre Project and founder of Boston’s African American Theater Festival, for which she recently wrote and performed in DARK AS A THOUSAND MIDNIGHTS. A Norton and IRNE Award-winning actor, director and playwright, Jacqui was also named Boston’s 2004 Theatre Hero by StageSource.

Boston Conservatory junior Stephanie Umoh will make her SpeakEasy debut as Bubbly in the production. A native of Texas, Ms. Umoh burst onto the Boston theater scene last spring as Sarah in the New Repertory Theatre’s production of RAGTIME.

For more information on THE BUBBLY BLACK GIRL SHEDS HER CHAMELEON SKIN or on any of SpeakEasy’s 06-07 shows, the public is invited to call the BostonTheatreScene.com box office at 617-933-8600 or go online to www.BostonTheatreScene.com.

SpeakEasy Stage Company is a proud resident theatre company at the Boston Center for the Arts.

About Boston Center for the Arts
Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) is an urban cultural village, incubating and showcasing the performing and visual arts and artists of our time. Occupying a city block in Boston’s historic South End, the BCA provides a creative “home” for artists, a welcoming destination for audiences, and an arts connection for youth and community. For more information, visit www.bcaonline.org.

Press inquiries should be directed to
SpeakEasy Marketing Director Jim Torres:
Office: 617-482-3279 Cell: 617-529-1670
Email: JimTorres@SpeakEasyStage.com

Calendar Listing Information
THE BUBBLY BLACK GIRL SHEDS HER CHAMELEON SKIN
Book, Music and Lyrics by Kirsten Childs

Presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company, a resident theatre company at the Boston Center for the Arts; Paul Daigneault, Producing Artistic Director

Featuring: Stephanie Umoh as Bubbly; with Mala Bhattacharya, Montez Cardwell, Jaime Cepero III, Jackie Comisar, Anich D’Jae, Aimee Doherty, Lawrence Jack, John King, Trecia Reavis, and Brian Richard Robinson.

Director: Jacqui Parker

Music Director/Conductor: José Delgado

Choreographer: David Connolly

Production Stage Manager: Dawn Schall DesLauriers

Design Team: Eric Levenson, set; Seth Bodie, costumes; John R. Malinowski, lights; Briand Parenteau, sound system design

Performing at:
The Nancy and Edward Roberts Studio Theatre
in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion
at the Boston Center for the Arts,
527 Tremont Street in Boston's South End

Press Performance: Sunday, November 19, 2006 3PM

Performance Schedule:
November 17 – December 9, 2006
Wed., Thurs. at 7:30PM; Fri at 8 PM; Sat. at 4 & 8; Sun at 3PM
Added performances: Tuesdays 11/21 and 12/5 at 7:30PM
No performance, Thursday 11/23 – Thanksgiving Day

Ticket Prices:
Tu, Wed., Th. 7:30PM; Fri. 8 -- $44.00 / $37.00 seniors
Sat. 4 & 8 PM; Sun. at 3PM -- $48.00 / $41.00 seniors

Student Rush:
$14 with valid college ID, at the box-office only, one hour before curtain, subject to availability

Box Office: 617-933-8600; www.BostonTheatreScene.com

Press Contact Only: Jim Torres – (617) 529-1670