THE DEVIL'S MUSIC: THE LIFE AND BLUES OF BESSIE SMITH
MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER
JANUARY 22, 2016 – MARCH 20, 2016
By Angelo Parra | Conceived by Joe Brancato
Directed by JC Clementz
Scenic Design: Joe C. Klug
Costume Design: Jason Orlenko
Lighting Design: Aimee Hanyzewski
Sound Design: Christian Gero
Music Director: Dan Kazemi
Choreographer: James Zager
REVIEWS
"This masterful production embraces the essence of the Empress of the Blues ... [Zonya] Love personifies this illustrious legacy with a grand presence and talent under the direction of Artistic Associate JC Clementz, who's quickly gaining a reputation for his finely tuned musicals and productions."
- BroadwayWorld.com
"In their characters as Bessie and Pickle, [Zonya] Love and DeMone demonstrate a nice chemistry that makes their long partnership credible. Together, they deliver a knock-out performance that will warm the heart of anyone suffering from the winter blues." [Four Stars]
- TotalTheatre.com
"A tailor made role for the prodigiously talented [Zonya] Love ... We call Bessie the Empress of the Blues for a reason, and Love's exceptional performance leaves no doubt what it is. When this embodiment of the Empress sings, she makes good on Bessie's defiant claim that she has the world in a jug, and the stopper in her hand."
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel