Center: Book cover for Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
by David Leeming
Right: Portrait of Beauford Delaney, (1973) Errol Sawyer
Well over 100 persons braved the damp drizzle that fell on Paris Wednesday evening to come out to Columbia Global Centers | Paris at Reid Hall on Wednesday evening, October 16. They came to see the reading performance of Amazing Grace Is Yellow, the 3-act play written by Silver Wainhouse about painter Beauford Delaney.
© Entrée to Black Paris
The cast and playwright / director Silver Wainhouse gathered early for a final rehearsal in the Grande Salle, the room where the reading took place.
© Entrée to Black Paris
Anticipation built among the cast as the room began to fill. Even after additional chairs were brought in to accommodate attendees, there were still people standing at the back of the room when the reading began.
Attendees from as far away as London came to see the performance.
© Entrée to Black Paris
Director Wainhouse read the stage directions for each act and scene from a podium next to the stage and the members of the cast read their parts. The six performers read a total of 14 character parts, with Patrick Rameau reading only the lines for Beauford Delaney.
© Entrée to Black Paris
The audience was captivated as the biographically-inspired story of Beauford's life unfolded before them. At the end of the performance, they gave the actors and Wainhouse a standing ovation that lasted for several minutes.
Wainhouse then shared some "behind the scenes" anecdotes about the production and she and I expressed our thanks to the donors who adopted characters in the play.
© Entrée to Black Paris
After the reading, attendees, cast, and production team mingled during a reception sponsored by Mary Duncan, Paris Writers Group.
Images © Entrée to Black Paris
Long time Paris resident and Beauford aficionado, Joseph Langley, gifted Wainhouse with one of his artistic creations – a pastel called Victory, in celebration of the success of the production.
© Entrée to Black Paris
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response to the reading, work will soon begin on the full stage production of the play.
To view a photo album for Amazing Grace Is Yellow, click HERE.
All donors were publicly acknowledged in slides that were presented on the screen prior to the event and during the reception. To view their names, click HERE.
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