| Annie Potts to star in industry readings of new solo play White Lies | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 05:57 pm EST 01/16/25 | |
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| ANNIE POTTS TO STAR IN INDUSTRY READINGS OF NEW SOLO PLAY WHITE LIES BY ELIZABETH DEWBERRY DIRECTED BY TAMARA TUNIE JANUARY 23, 2025 (New York, NY - January 16, 2025) - Acclaimed actress Annie Potts ("Young Sheldon," "Designing Women," Ghostbusters) will star in two industry readings of the compelling new solo play, White Lies, written by playwright Elizabeth Dewberry (Flesh and Blood) and directed by Tamara Tunie (Spring Awakening , Radio Golf). The readings will take place on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM at Open Jar Studios, located at 1601 Broadway, New York City. Set against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter protests in New York City, White Lies delves into the complex relationship between Sarah and her dying mother in Alabama. As Sarah attempts to bid farewell during the COVID-19 pandemic, suppressed memories from her Evangelical and racially charged Southern upbringing resurface. The play oscillates between humor and deep emotion, offering a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the potential for redemption. Kevin Bailey and James Mellon of MB Artists, along with Michael Donovan, a nine-time Artios Award-winning casting director, are producing the readings, bringing decades of theatrical expertise to the development of this powerful new play. Industry members may contact Kevin.mbartists@gmail.com for more information. Annie Potts returned to series television in the CBS hit comedy "Young Sheldon," created by Chuck Lorre and Steve Molaro. Her portrayal of ‘Meemaw' became a fan favorite, earning her numerous Critics' Choice nominations. She continued the role in the spinoff "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage." Potts is widely known for her iconic role as ‘Mary Jo Shively' in "Designing Women." Her work in "Love & War" garnered an Emmy nomination, and she earned two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for "Any Day Now." On stage, Potts made her Broadway debut in Yasmina Reza's Tony Award-winning comedy God of Carnage and appeared in the long-running Pippin. Her off-Broadway work includes The Vagina Monologues, Diva, Love Letters, Charley's Aunt, The Merchant of Venice, A Little Night Music, Cymbeline, and The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. On the West Coast, her performance in Aftermath earned rave reviews and the LA Times Critics' Choice Ovation Recommendation. Potts reprised her memorable role as ‘Janine Melnitz' in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and Ghostbusters: Afterlife and voiced ‘Bo Peep' in the Oscar-winning Toy Story 4. Her numerous film credits include Pretty in Pink, Texasville (Peter Bogdanovich's sequel to The Last Picture Show), Jumpin' Jack Flash, Who's Harry Crumb?, King of the Gypsies, and Corvette Summer, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Recent credits include Happy Anniversary for Netflix, as well as Izzy Gets the F@#k Across Town and Humor Me, which debuted at the Los Angeles Film Festival. She has played recurring roles on "Chicago Med," "Law & Order: SVU," and "The Fosters," with guest appearances on "Scandal," "Grey's Anatomy," "Major Crimes," and "Two and a Half Men." Potts has also starred in Hallmark movies like The Music Teacher and Freshman Father, as well as Marry Me for Lifetime. Born in Nashville and raised in Kentucky, Potts holds a BFA in Theater from Stephens College in Missouri, where she is a visiting professor and board member. She is an ambassador for White Pony Express, which aids those in need in the Bay Area. She authored the children's book Kemarley of Anguilla, with proceeds benefiting the Arijah Children's Foundation. During the pandemic, Potts and her husband, director/producer Jim Hayman, co-founded "All Are One," an initiative to provide anonymous donations to those in need. She also established The Heart Channels, an organization offering resources and guidance to people at critical crossroads in their lives. Tamara Tunie (Director) is an accomplished director, producer, and performer. As a Broadway producer, she received a Tony Award for Spring Awakening and a Tony nomination for August Wilson's Radio Golf. Off-Broadway, her credits include The Dutchman at The Cherry Lane Theater and Frog Kiss at Virginia Stage Company. Tunie directed the world premiere of Feelin' Good!, the autobiographical one-woman show by Tony Award winner LaChanze, and co-wrote and directed Jazzland at The Harlem School of the Arts. Her other directing credits include the feature film See You in September and the Zoom short film Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep featuring Patina Miller. Tunie is also developing Marian, a musical about opera diva Marian Anderson. This spring she is directing the premiere of Stompin'at the Savoy at Delaware Theatre Company. Her acting credits span Broadway (Julius Caesar, Dreamgirls, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music), regional theater (Familiar, American Son, The Tempest), and television, including "Law & Order: SVU," "Cowboy Bebop," "Dietland," and "Better Call Saul." Tunie has also appeared in films like I Wanna Dance with Somebody and Flight. In addition to her artistic achievements, Tunie is Chair Emerita of Figure Skating in Harlem and serves on the boards of Harlem Stage/The Gatehouse and The City Theatre Company in Pittsburgh. She is a founding member of Black Theatre United and an acclaimed vocalist, with her debut album "Dreamsville" released in 2019. Elizabeth Dewberry (Playwright ) is a celebrated playwright and novelist. Her plays include Flesh and Blood, which premiered at the Humana Festival, and Four Joans and a Fire-Eater, produced at Swine Palace. Her novels include His Lovely Wife (Harcourt), Sacrament of Lies (Putnam), Break the Heart of Me (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday), and Many Things Have Happened Since He Died (Doubleday). Dewberry's theatrical co-productions include The Inheritance (Broadway and West End, Tony and Olivier Awards), The Jungle (West End and St. Ann's Warehouse), Little Shop of Horrors (Off-Broadway), Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (Broadway), and Anastasia (Broadway). MB ARTISTS/Kevin Bailey and James Mellon (Producer). Founded in 1992, MB Artists is led by partners Kevin Bailey and James Mellon, who have focused their efforts on developing new works for the theater. From 2003 to 2016, they operated the award-winning NoHo Arts Center in Los Angeles, producing over 30 plays and musicals, including Ann, written by and starring Holland Taylor. The play premiered on Broadway at Lincoln Center and earned a Tony nomination for Taylor. MB Artists also produced the Greater Tuna plays, represented and produced solo works by Jaston Williams, and developed a new musical, Minerva – The Off-Key Pea Hen, set to premiere in Texas in 2025. Current projects include White Lies, Belles Are Swingin', and A Positive Negative. Bailey and Mellon are married and proud parents to their screenwriter son, William, and their late daughter, Nora. Michael Donovan (Producer) is a nine-time Artios Award-winning casting director with over 1,000 theater productions to his credit. He has cast for venues such as the Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Hollywood Bowl, and La Jolla Playhouse, as well as national tours, films, and TV series. Donovan has also produced theater in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York and is the President of the Board for the Foundation for New American Musicals. He has received 37 Artios Award nominations for his contributions to the entertainment industry. |
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