E. Faye Butler Will Direct MARIE & ROSETTA With Bethany Thomas and Alexis J. Roston

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, concludes its 2022–2023 season with Marie and Rosetta by George Brant, directed by E. Faye Butler.  The production runs July 6 – August 6, 2023, at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. The press opening is Friday, July 14, 2023 at 8pm.

Hailed as the “Godmother of Rock 'n Roll,” Sister Rosetta Tharpe influenced rock icons from Elvis Presley to Jimi Hendrix. Bringing fierce guitar playing and sizzling swing to gospel music, Rosetta was a trailblazer, a young Black woman singing at church in the morning and the Cotton Club at night. This play with music chronicles Rosetta's first rehearsal with a young protégée, Marie Knight, as they prepare for a tour that would establish them as one of the great duet teams in musical history.

  BJ Jones comments, “Rosetta Tharpe was an important artist who never got her due. Like Nina Simone, she battled bias and music industry discrimination and artistic appropriation. Her work inspired so many artists—Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Jerry Lee Lewis, just to name a few. We are proud to present Northlight favorites and Jeff Award winner Bethany Thomas, Alexis Roston and director E. Faye Butler to pay tribute to this singular artist.”

The cast of Marie and Rosetta includes award-winning performers Bethany Thomas (Sister Rosetta Tharpe), who recently appeared at Northlight in a tour-de-force performance of Songs for Nobodies and Alexis J. Roston (Marie Knight), who most recently completed a run as Billie Holiday at Lady Day at Emerson Bar and Grill.

The creative team includes: E. Faye Butler (Director), Morgan E. Stevenson (Music Director / Piano / Conductor), John Culbert (Set Design), McKinley Johnson (Costume Design), Jared Gooding (Light Design), Rick Sims (Sound Design), Lonnae Hickman (Props Design), and Sean Moore (Wig Design). Rita Vreeland is the Stage Manager.  

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