219:, wrote: "The subject of racism in the film industry might not seem like an ideal fit for a comedy with a screwball twist, but Nottage is too clever to preach and too much a fan of the cinematic era she’s writing about not to entertain. The giddiness of the romp isn’t easy to sustain, but her sneaky cultural critique is delivered with an ingenious wink...Nottage is attuned to the specific hardships of African American actors coveting fame throughout history, and her irony detector can’t help beeping as it surveys all the social progress that has been made. But she’s also aware of how anyone in the public eye is forced to sell a part of his or her soul. In this regard, she’s an equal opportunity satirist, sending up the performing seal in all of us."
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come to blows at a modern-day seminar on the meaning of a career that ended in lousy roles, humiliation and eventual disappearance...All the pieces of
Nottage’s puzzle never quite click together, and it’s rather ironic for a work whose theme is personal and professional authenticity to keep bringing in so much that’s downright bogus."
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of the Geffen
Playhouse production, wrote: "Nottage and Bonney seem to lack much appreciation of, or respect for, the Tinseltown milieu...The second half nevertheless proves richer and more satisfying. For starters three academics, hilariously doubled by Carroll, Gregory and Dandridge, practically
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directed by Jo Bonney, that provoke hearty laughter and troubling thoughts at the same time. But none of them come close to matching the fully inhabited, spiky ambivalence of Ms. Lathan as she appears in the second half...But much of the comic material here feels stereotyped in itself, bringing to
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As directed by Ms. Bonney, the acting swings wildly between proper characterization and caricature...More enjoyably, the second act includes a clip from the film that Vera finally made (as imagined by Tony Gerber) and the priceless 1973 talk-show sequence, in which Mr. Garrison is perfect as a
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is a 70-year journey through the life of Vera Stark, a headstrong
African-American maid and budding actress, and her tangled relationship with her boss, a white Hollywood star...desperately grasping to hold on to her career."
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According to Second Stage, "Lynn
Nottage draws upon the screwball films of the 1930s to take a funny and irreverent look at racial stereotypes in Hollywood.
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in Los
Angeles in September 2012, directed by Jo Bonney, starring Sanaa Lathan with Amanda Detmer (Gloria).
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Nottage received the 2010 Edgerton
Foundation New American Play Award for this play.
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83:. The play concerns an African-American maid in the 1930s who becomes a film star.
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131:(Lottie/Carmen Levy-Green), Kevin Isola (Maximillian Von Oster/Brian Blaze), and
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mind lively but formulaic sketch routines from satiric variety shows like
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610:"Theater review: 'By the Way, Meet Vera Stark' at Second Stage Theatre"
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The title character of Vera Stark is based in part on black actress
470:, Ready for Her L.A. Close-Up, Opens Sept. 26; Sanaa Lathan Stars"
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Outstanding
Featured Actress, Kimberly Hébert Gregory (nominee)
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Outstanding
Featured Actress in a Play, Kimberly Hebert Gregory
540:"By the Way, Meet Vera Stark by Lynn Nottage at Signature"
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Outstanding
Featured Actress in a Play, Stephanie J. Block
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on May 9, 2011, and closed on June 12, 2011. Directed by
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449:"Review. A Black Actress Trying to Rise Above a Maid"
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in
Chicago, Illinois, from April 27 to June 2, 2013.
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in New York City from January 29 to March 10, 2019.
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421:Gets Extra Week at Off-Broadway's Second Stage"
275:Outstanding Lead Actress, Sanaa Lathan (winner)
498:geffenplayhouse.com, accessed January 27, 2016
529:goodmantheatre.org, accessed January 27, 2016
191:, reviewing the Off-Broadway production for
319:Supporting Actress, Kimberly Hebert Gregory
250:Outstanding Actress in a Play, Sanaa Lathan
668:lortelaward.com, accessed January 27, 2016
585:"Just a Maid in Movies, but Not Forgotten"
278:Outstanding Costume Design, ESosa (winner)
135:(Anne Mae/Afua Assata Ejob). Sets were by
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284:Outstanding Director, Jo Bonney (nominee)
259:Outstanding Director of a Play, Jo Bonney
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527:"'By The Way, Meet Vera Stark' Listing"
512:"Review: ‘By the Way, Meet Vera Stark’"
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310:Director/Dramatic Production, Jo Bonney
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627:"Drama Desk Nominations Announced;
555:"A Hollywood Story: Lynn Nottage's
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583:Dargis, Manohla (April 21, 2011).
380:tcg.org, accessed January 27, 2016
361:tcg.org, accessed January 27, 2016
207:fatuous Merv Griffin-esque host."
127:(Fredrick Slasvick/Brad Donovan),
123:(Leroy Barksdale/Herb Forrester),
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415:Jones, Kenneth (April 27, 2011).
262:Outstanding Costume Design, ESosa
553:Jones, Kenneth (April 6, 2011).
316:Supporting Actor, Daniel Breaker
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625:Gans, Andrew (April 27, 2012).
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322:Dramatic Production of the Year
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395:Internet Off-Broadway Database
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247:Outstanding Play, Lynn Nottage
222:Bob Verini, in his review for
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391:"By the Way, Meet Vera Stark"
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298:Lighting Design, Jeff Croiter
149:The play was produced at the
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351:By The Way, Meet Vera Stark
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22:By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
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559:Begins NYC World Premiere"
332:Lead Actress, Sanaa Lathan
307:Sound Design, John Gromada
371:"New Plays in Production"
327:2011 Audelco Award Winner
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16:2011 play by Lynn Nottage
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313:Playwright, Lynn Nottage
139:and costumes by ESosa.
129:Kimberly Hebert Gregory
301:Set Design, Neil Patel
233:Awards and nominations
690:Plays by Lynn Nottage
629:Death Takes a Holiday
304:Costume Design, ESosa
269:Lucille Lortel Awards
40:May 9, 2011
659:"2012 Lortel Awards"
517:, September 27, 2012
142:The play ran at the
111:, the cast featured
105:Second Stage Theater
56:Second Stage Theater
119:(Gloria Mitchell),
99:The play premiered
664:2018-07-28 at the
608:McNulty, Charles.
589:The New York Times
376:2016-02-02 at the
357:2016-02-02 at the
194:The New York Times
117:Stephanie J. Block
613:Los Angeles Times
293:Award Nominations
216:Los Angeles Times
184:Critical response
158:Signature Theatre
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101:Off-Broadway
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81:Lynn Nottage
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31:Lynn Nottage
417:"Nottage's
242:Nominations
199:Vera Stark,
133:Karen Olivo
95:Productions
685:2011 plays
679:Categories
495:Vera Stark
468:Vera Stark
337:References
137:Neil Patel
87:Background
44:2011-05-09
27:Written by
644:March 29,
568:March 29,
479:March 29,
430:March 29,
400:March 29,
109:Jo Bonney
67:Hollywood
662:Archived
639:Playbill
563:Playbill
474:Playbill
425:Playbill
374:Archived
355:Archived
164:Overview
633:Follies
515:Variety
291:AUDELCO
225:Variety
62:Setting
42: (
65:1930s
289:2011
267:2012
238:2012
646:2022
631:and
596:2012
570:2022
481:2022
432:2022
402:2022
103:at
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