Pretenders invite you to a Pay What You Choose performance of Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress at Fells Point Corner Theatre on Thursday, November 6, 8 pm.

RSVP to azurah1203@gmail.com  and we will coordinate a pre-show gathering at a nearby restaurant.

"A talented and experienced Black actress has been cast in Chaos in Belleville, an anti-lynching play set to open on Broadway. She's paid her dues throughout the years, playing stereotypical supporting roles in second-rate shows, and is ready for her star turn. Chaos in Belleville, written by a white playwright, might not be quite as enlightened a piece as she's been hoping for — but that doesn't mean it won't sell out. A cast of multigenerational Black actors rehearse under the purview of a white director and stage manager, and as the rehearsal process unfolds, theatre conventions and racial politics collide, resulting in a surprisingly funny yet deeply piercing look at the entertainment industry.

In 1955, Trouble in Mind was a critical and popular success off-Broadway at the Greenwich Mews Theatre, and it immediately drew interest from producers for a Broadway transfer. In an ironic twist echoing the tribulations of the characters in the play itself, the producers wanted changes to the script to make it more palatable to a commercial audience. Childress refused to compromise her artistic vision, and the play never opened on Broadway. In 2021, the play made its long-awaited Broadway debut at  Roundabout Theatre Company, receiving four Tony Award nominations."