Carla Hall Makes Her Stage Debut in World Premiere One-Woman Show at Olney Theatre Center
If you think you know Carla Hall, think again — and she's counting on it. The beloved TV personality, chef, author, and restaurateur is stepping into an entirely new arena with Please Underestimate Me, a one-woman show that marks her first professional stage role. The production will have its World Premiere at Olney Theatre Center's Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, running June 3 through July 12, 2026, and it promises to be one of the most talked-about theatrical events the DC area has seen in years.
Hall co-wrote the autobiographical script alongside Lori Kaye and Leslie Thomas, and the work was developed at Olney Theatre as part of its Vanguard Arts Fund — making this a true homegrown world premiere in every sense. The show is directed by Lili-Anne Brown, whose recent credits include the acclaimed 2023 Olney production of Fela!, which took home Helen Hayes Awards for both Outstanding Direction and Outstanding Production of a Musical. Brown's return to Olney for this project feels like a natural and exciting reunion.
The origins of the collaboration make for a great story in themselves. Olney Theatre Center Artistic Director Jason Loewith had been keeping an eye on Hall long before rehearsals began. "DC resident and national hero Carla Hall has been a frequent audience member at Olney Theatre," Loewith explains. "So when I read a profile of her in the New York Times in which she said she was working on a one-woman show, I immediately called her and said, 'let's workshop this right now!' When Carla showed up to the first rehearsal with fresh biscuits and homemade jam, I knew this was going to be more than special. And pairing her with Helen Hayes award-winning director Lili-Anne Brown is the (forgive me) cherry on top."
The show itself traces the full arc of Hall's remarkable and often surprising life. From her Tennessee childhood as a self-described awkward theater camp kid, through her years at Howard University and a stint modeling on the runways of Paris, to the culinary world and the television fame that followed, Please Underestimate Me doesn't shy away from the harder parts of the journey. Hall confronts the confusing pressures of Black excellence, the sexism she encountered along the way, and the relentless efforts to sand down her individuality — and she does it all with the warmth, humor, and candor that have made her a beloved public figure. The show invites audiences to "strap in" for what is described as a wild, hilarious, and emotional ride, culminating in Hall revealing what she calls the secret ingredients to her greatest creation: herself.
The creative team surrounding Hall and Brown is equally impressive. Lauren M. Nichols handles Set Design, Harold Burgess is responsible for Lighting Design, Paris Francesca takes on Costume Design, Willow James manages Sound Design, and Kelly Colburn leads Projections Design. Erika L. Placencia serves as Production Stage Manager.
Adding a unique flavor to the production — quite literally — are the show's Honorary Producers, a roster that elegantly bridges the culinary and theatrical worlds. They include Chef Eric Adjepong of Food Network's Wildcard Kitchen, author and TV personality Chef Spike Mendelsohn, food and wine publisher Nycci Nellis, Emmy-nominated journalist and producer Erin Como, and Nina Oduro, Co-founder of Black Women in Food.
Carla Hall: Please Underestimate Me runs June 3 through July 12, 2026, in the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab at Olney Theatre Center, located at 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd in Olney, MD.