Check out what the press is saying about Pearl Cleage's Blues for an Alabama Sky, on stage at Seattle Rep from Jan. 30–Feb. 23, 2025. This post will be updated with more news as it comes out!

The Seattle Times

PREVIEW: "Your 4 Best Bets in Seattle Theater This Month"

"Seattle’s Valerie Curtis-Newton directs and Chicago actor Ayanna Bria Bakari tackles the compelling, complex role of Angel. The part has attracted many fine performers over the years and I’m looking forward to watching Bakari’s take on it at Seattle Rep, produced in partnership with Seattle company The Hansberry Project."

BEHIND THE SCENES: "How a Contemporary Play Becomes a Classic"

“'A play becomes a classic because its themes stand up over time,'” says Valerie Curtis-Newton, director of Seattle Rep’s production of 'Blues for an Alabama Sky' (Jan. 30—Feb. 23). 'It resonates deeply with the community, and as each new generation finds its own connection to those themes, it adds to the credibility of that work as a classic.'"

PREVIEW: The Ticket

"Celebrating the 30th anniversary of its premiere, Blues for an Alabama Sky at Seattle Rep is both timely and timeless. The play centers queer and female characters creating chosen family amid economic woes and bigotry—experiences that may be all too familiar to Seattle audiences in 2025."

Cascade PBS

"ARTSEA: Black History Month..." Picks

“Blues for an Alabama Sky (at Seattle Rep though Feb. 23) is lauded playwright Pearl Cleage’s story about what happens when Harlem Renaissance artists are hit with the Great Depression — not to mention racism, economic disparity and a lack of reproductive rights."

Seattle Magazine

"Celebrating Black Art and Culture"

“Set in 1930s Harlem, this play follows two best friends chasing dreams in the lively but turbulent world of jazz clubs and Harlem Renaissance aspirations."

"Must List: Six Fun Things to Do This Week"

“... Blues for an Alabama Sky follows a group of friends navigating love, ambition, and survival during the Great Depression. Playwright Pearl Cleage delivers a story full of rich characters and deep meaning. As The Guardian says, it’s 'a message for our times.' Well, you can’t beat that."

Arte Noir

"Blues for an Alabama Sky: A Preview Written by Valerie Curtis-Newton"

“'Why this play?': It's beautifully written. It's poetic, it’s funny, it’s honest, it's frightening, it's courageous, and it's fierce. It's all of those things. This play vividly evokes a Harlem, NY, during its Renaissance—the period between WWI and The Great Depression. A Harlem that gave Black Americans a place to lean into the dream of freedom. This is really a play about dreamers envisioning themselves free."

Don't miss Blues for an Alabama Sky, on stage at Seattle Rep from Jan. 30–Feb. 23, 2025. Get your tickets now!

Tickets