THE TRIALS & TRIUMPHS OF A TAR BABY
Inspired by Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye,” this is a story that gives voice to those who have been silenced, ignored and abused the most in the Black Race…the human race at that. The Dark-skinned Black woman. The woman who is usually tasked with keeping it all together while it all breaks down inside, but at what cost. A story of mental health from a Black woman’s perspective, we meet two women who on the exterior share many similarities but due to their extremely different upbringings have very different views of themselves, their beauty and their worth.
Commissioned with funding by the Aubrey & Marla Dan Fund for New Musicals
Credits
Commissioned with funding by the Aubrey & Marla Dan Fund for New Musicals
Book
Jewelle Blackman
Music & Lyrics
Jewelle Blackman
Venue
Frequently Asked Questions
Show Calendar
CREATOR BIOS
Jewelle Blackman (she/her) – Book, Music & Lyrics
Jewelle Blackman is a multi-talented artist from Toronto. She has played the violin for more than 30 years and graduated from Queen’s University with a Double Major in Music & Film as well as completed the Summer Performance Certificate Program at Berklee College of Music. Jewelle is currently on pause from Broadway as part of the Tony/Grammy Winning Best Musical HADESTOWN where she originated the role of Fate. Select credits include THE WHO’S TOMMY (Acid Queen); JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL, and LIVING IN PARIS both at the Stratford Festival; WE WILL ROCK YOU (Teacher); THE LION KING (Nala/Shenzi) Mirvish; THE WIZARD OF OZ (Mrs. Banks) Young People’s Theatre; DREAMGIRLS (Deena Jones) The Grand Theatre/StageWest. Jewelle has also worked extensively in Film/TV. For the past few years she has been working on her first musical YOU KNOW MY NAME, NOT MY STORY, inspired by Nina Simone’s “Four Women.”