In a New York City apartment building bustling with news and gossip about the luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance, a close-knit group of friends has become a chosen family. New roommates Angel and Guy — a recently fired blues singer and a promising costume designer with Paris in his sights — live across the hall from Delia, a social worker who sparks a relationship with the hardworking doctor Sam. Their lives are upturned when Southern newcomer Leland arrives and falls hard for Angel, who is torn between a stable life in Manhattan and an exhilarating overseas adventure with Guy. Angel chooses her path, but the decision leads to devastating consequences that shift the trajectory of everyone’s futures and long-held dreams. This modern classic by celebrated native Detroit playwright Pearl Cleage has profound relevance to our current times even as it is set during the Harlem Renaissance on the cusp of the Great Depression.
Blues For An Alabama Sky
January 24, 2024 - March 3, 2024
Journey to 1967 in the city of Detroit. Motown music is getting the party started
Meet The Cast
Mildred Victoria Penman
Angel
Mildred Victoria Penman is based out of Los Angeles, CA. A proud graduate of Brooklyn College’s BFA Theatre program. Mildred is passionate about storytelling in all expressive mediums. Her most recent notable work includes Pipeline (DPT) ,The Mountaintop at the Villagers Theatre, The Girls of Summer at St Luke Theatre (Off Broadway) and Josh the Black Babe Ruth at the Theatre for the New City in New York City. Mildred’s first love is the Theatre and is so enamored to be working with Detroit Public Theatre. Special thanks to her life scene partners D’Angelo and Delilah. Connect @MildredVictoria.
Izaya Spencer
Guy
Henri Franklin
Sam
HENRÍ FRANKLIN is an award winning SAG-AFTRA actor based out of Detroit, MI. After obtaining his Bachelors Degree from Wayne State Universityʼs Theater Program, he went on to work professionally in the fields of stage, film, television, commercials and voice over. Some of his notable career accomplishments include Days of Our Lives and Chicago P.D. on NBC, Detroiters on Comedy Central, Low Winter Sun on AMC, Batman Vs Superman for Warner Bros., commercial and voice work for Ford, Chevrolet, G.U.M., T. Rowe Price and many others plus productions of Dominique Morisseauʼs Pipeline, Detroit’ 67 and Paradise Blue. You can see him as Ahmed in Richard Wesley’s Black Terror (produced by Tina Knowles – Lawson and directed by Richard Lawson) coming soon. Henrí is honored to have been able to work with Detroit Public Theatre for several years now and looks forward to continuing to do work that continues to change people’s lives for the better! You can follow his journey at www.henrifranklin.com and @henrifranklin on social media platforms.
Shaunie Lewis
Delia
Shaunie Lewis (they/she) is an actor and DJ from the west side of Detroit who couldn’t be happier to make their regional theater debut in their hometown! Recent credits include: NY THEATRE: Is God Is (BAI); Rock Medea(workshop); Wyld Woman: The Legend of Shy Girl (tour). FILM/TV: Atrabilious; Third Wheel. Shaunie is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan and is currently based in Brooklyn, NY.
Links to music and upcoming projects can be found on shaunielewis.com.
IG: @itz_shaunie_k
Jesse Boyd-Williams
Leland
Jesse Boyd-Williams is an actor, writer, director, and voice-over artist currently pursuing a B.A. in Theatre at Wayne State University. A 2017 graduate in vocal studies from Detroit School of Arts, he received rigorous training in classical, jazz, and choral ensemble music. In 2022, he achieved his A.A. in Telecommunication from Henry Ford College, a milestone marked by a distinguished internship at the esteemed Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit. He currently serves as a Deans Delegate and Student Ambassador for the College of Fine, Performing & Communication Arts at Wayne State University. A winner of the 2023 Black Theatre Network’s StudentQuest Monologue competition, Jesse actively serves on the executive board. His TV/Film credits include; BMF (Season 2), No Sudden Move (2021); Why Me!? (2022); Listen to The Silence (2022); and I Declare War (2014). His theatre credits include; Hastings Street (Emmanuel Wheathers); A Raisin in The Sun(Joseph Asagai); Dreamgirls (Wayne); Broke-ology (Ennis King); Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet (Oshoosi Size); The Lightening Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (Brunner/Chiron/Ares); Rocky Horror Show (Narrator); and In The Heights(Jose). You can follow Jesse on Instagram @officialjessebw.
Meet The Creative Team
Brian Marable
Director
Detroit Public Theatre: Detroit ‘67, Skeleton Crew, Pipeline; Baltimore Center Stage: Detroit ‘67; The Old Globe and People’s Light Theater: Skeleton Crew; Performance Network: The Mountaintop (Martin Luther King, Jr.), The Piano Lesson (Boy Willie); Purple Rose Theatre Company: Superior Donuts (Franco). Film/ TV—Have a Little Faith (Hallmark Movie), The Citizen (2012, Monterey Media), Low Winter Sun (AMC), Standing in the Shadows of Motown (James Jamerson). Education— Howard University, Wayne State University.
Noah Eisenberg
Assistant Director
Doran Kojan
Stage Manager
Badriyyah F. Wazeerud-Din
Assistant Stage Manager
Christianne Myers
Costume Designer
Cornell Jermaine
Hair & Makeup Designer
Lumumba Reynolds
Audio Designer
Moníka Essen
Scenic & Props Designer
