The first production of the 2023 South Haven Theatre Series is this Saturday, June 24.
Performer Becky Stone will portray Josephine Baker: International Star, Spy, and Civil Rights Activist. It will be performed at Listiak Auditorium of South Haven High School, 600 Elkenburg St. Avenue, South Haven, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The Speaker Series said in a release that Becky Stone embodies American Jazz Age entertainer Josephine Baker. Ms. Stone has been a Chautauqua scholar since 2003 She performs as a storyteller specializing in African-American history. She has just recently performed on the Black History Live Tour for the Colorado Humanities organization.
Historically, Josephine Baker was an American-born French dancer and singer who symbolized the beauty and vitality of African American culture that took Paris by storm in
the 1920s. One of the most successful African American performers in French history, Baker’s career illustrates the ways entertainers can use their platforms to change the world. She often refused to perform to segregated audiences, which usually forced club owners to integrate for her shows. Her opposition against segregation and discrimination was recognized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
In 1963, she was one of the few women allowed to speak at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Her speech detailed her life as a black woman in the United States and abroad: “You know, friends, that I do not lie to you when I tell you I have walked into the palaces of kings and queens and into the houses of presidents. And much more. But I could not walk into a hotel in America and get a cup of coffee, and that made me mad.”
Tickets are $15 for adults and free for children and students.
The South Haven Theatre Series is supported by the South Haven Community Foundation and other generous donors.
Photo credit: Laurie Schmidtke
