Paradise Blue, the first play in Dominique Morisseau‘s Detroit trilogy, opens on July 22 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Paradise Blue has no shortage of star actors behind the production: Ruben Santiago-Hudson directs Tony Award-nominee De’Adre Aziza (Passing Strange), Golden Globe-nominee Blair Underwood (A Street Car Named Desire), and Andre Holland (Joe Turner’s Come and Gone) in this world premiere of a bracing and charged drama.
Blue (Underwood), a gifted trumpeter, contemplates selling his once-vibrant jazz club in Detroit’s Blackbottom neighborhood to shake free the demons of his past and better his life. But where does that leave his devoted Pumpkin, who has dreams of her own? And what does it mean for the club’s resident bebop band? When a mysterious woman (Aziza) with a walk that drives men mad comes to town with her own plans, everyone’s world is turned upside down.
Emmy-nominated actor Ruben Santiago-Hudson is no stranger to the stage. In 1996, he won the Tony
Ruben Santiago Hudson
Award as Best Actor (Featured Role – Play) for August Wilson‘s Seven Guitars, and also performed the role of Ricky Roma on Broadway in Glengarry Glen Ross. In addition, he originated the role of Buddy Bolden in Jelly’s Last Jam, directed by George C. Wolfe, at The Mark Taper Forum, and continued this role as a member of the original Broadway cast.
Santiago-Hudson also has several film and television projects coming up, including a new TNT TV series executive produced by Stephen Spielberg entitled Public Morals, as well as a brand new follow-up to his acclaimed multi-award-winning play Lackawanna Blues.
