Area premiere of Marion J. Caffey’s Cookin’ at the Cookery at MetroStage January 24- March 9

Producing Artistic Director Carolyn Griffin is pleased to announce that the area premiere of Marion J. Caffey’s Cookin’ at the Cookery, (The Music and Times of Alberta Hunter, Told in the Key of the Blues), will be in performance at MetroStage January 24-March 9, 2008. Written by Marion J. Caffey after being inspired by Alberta Hunter’s story as told in a film documentary entitled My Castle’s Rockin’, Caffey will direct and choreograph this production. Danny Holgate is the musical supervisor and arranger and William Knowles is the music director. Cheryl Alexander will play Alberta Hunter and Janice Lorraine will play younger Alberta and multiple roles.

The world premiere of Cookin’ at the Cookery was at the Hippodrome State Theater in Gainesville Florida in 1997. Since then it has been produced in 36 theatres and toured multiple cities, garnering many nominations and awards in the U.S. and Canada. It has broken box office records at the GEVA Theatre in Rochester, NY and at the Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo as well as at CanStage in Toronto. It was most recently seen at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, with Janice Lorraine.

Marion J. Caffey began as a song and dance man before becoming a writer and director. Three Mo’ Divas was his last work seen in Washington at Arena Stage, receiving multiple Helen Hayes nominations. His production of Three Mo’ Tenors just completed a limited run in New York at the Little Shubert Theatre. Music Director William Knowles has been seen and heard at MetroStage in productions of The All Night Strut, Nat King Cole, King of Cool, and Ellington: Life and Music of the Duke. He received the Helen Hayes Award for Dinah Was (Arena Stage) and was nominated for Tambourines To Glory (Lincoln Theatre).

Playing Alberta Hunter, Cheryl Alexander was most recently seen in Arena Stage’s Women of Brewster Place. She has performed with many big bands and orchestras including the Duke Ellington Orchestra and the Billy Taylor Big Band. On Broadway she has performed in Caroline or Change, Sophisticated Ladies, Dreamgirls and many others. This is her first appearance as Alberta inCookin’ at the Cookery.

Janice Lorraine, playing multiple roles including the young Alberta, has lost count of how many times she has performed this role. For the role she has received the Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP Theatre Award, Chicago’s Black Theatre Alliance Award, and many more nominations. Broadway credits include Ragtime, Grease, Jelly’s Last Jam, Starlight Express, Dreamgirls and many more.

Designers are Dale Jordan, set and lights; Marilyn Wall, costumes, Bettie O. Rogers, wigs; all of whom are part of Caffey’s design team for Cookin’ at the Cookery. Jordan and Wall have both received nominations and awards for their work on this show. Kevin Laughon is production manager and scenic painter. Jessica Winfield is the Equity Stage Manager and Dannielle Hutchinson is Assistant Stage Manager.

Cookin" at the Cookery is in performance January 24 thru March 9, 2008 - Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm, with matinees on both Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $35-40 and can be ordered through boxofficetickets.com at 800-494-8497. For group rates and information call 703-548-9044. MetroStage offers free parking and is fully accessible.

Press night is Saturday, January 26 at 8pm.