The African American Theater Arts Troupe (AATAT) is at it again with a stunning new performance of Paradise Blue, written by Dominique Morisseau. Open from February 21st – March 2nd, this play captures the intimacy between characters in a Jazz club in Detroit.
The story follows Blue, who inherited the jazz club from his father. He is debating whether or not to sell his club, and what the effects will be on the people around him. Paradise Blue is set after a large migration of Black people from the South came North in the ‘40s and ‘50s; Detroit was a common place to find employment. This dynamic and musically-infused drama shines a light on the challenges of building a better future on the foundation of what our predecessors have left us.
In tying the play to modern day, Don WIlliams, the founder and director of AATAT and a professor of Performance Play and Design, says “One of the biggest things that popped in my mind is the fact that in most of our cities in America, gentrification is happening from Oakland to San Francisco. There were thriving and huge Black communities within those cities, they’ve been pushed out because of the new construction that’s coming in and the cost they cannot afford.”
One of the major goals of AATAT is to inspire and educate students on Black theater. Part of achieving this means continuing AATAT’s goal of outreach and education at local high schools. Some schools have been invited to see the performance on campus, and there will be an alternate show at Monterey Peninsula College for high schoolers in that area. These will be accompanied by talk-backs with the performers and the audience after the performances.
“It’s my goal this year to really get some young folks to come out and see it,” says Williams. “I know that they’re missing history. And in order to understand your future, it’s good to have a real look at your past and what people have done.”
Award-winning Paradise Blue playwright, Dominique Morisseau, has written over nine plays, at least one of which has been turned into a film. She is a MacArthur Fellow, who bases many of her plays, including Paradise Blue, on her experience growing up in Detroit.
The upcoming performance is sure to capture audiences’ hearts and minds through a look into a world outside of what most people today experience.
More Information
February 22, 2025 7:30pm
February 23, 2025 3pm
February 28, 2025 7:30pm
March 1, 2025 7:30pm
March 2, 2025 3pm
Mainstage at UC Santa Cruz
453 Kerr Road
Santa Cruz, California 95064
General Admission $5–20 “Pay What You Like”; $0 UCSC Undergrads (ticket required)
Tickets available on Eventbrite
Parking by permit, ParkMobile, or $5 cash/credit via the on-site parking attendantArts Lot #126 is the closest parking lot to the event