Fells Point Corner Theatre Presents Alice Childress's Trouble In Mind

Fells Point Corner Theatre brings Alice Childress's groundbreaking drama "Trouble In Mind" to Baltimore audiences this November, offering an opportunity to experience a work that was decades ahead of its time. Running from November 7 through November 30, this production promises to deliver both sharp humor and penetrating social commentary that remains startlingly relevant today.

Trouble In Mind at Fells Point Corner Theatre

Written in 1955, "Trouble In Mind" centers on Wiletta Mayer, a talented and experienced Black actress who has finally landed what she hopes will be her breakthrough role in "Chaos in Belleville," an anti-lynching play destined for Broadway. After years of playing stereotypical supporting roles in second-rate productions, Wiletta is ready for her moment in the spotlight. However, as rehearsals progress under the direction of a white director and stage manager, she discovers that "Chaos in Belleville" may not be quite as enlightened as she had hoped.

What unfolds is a surprisingly funny yet deeply piercing examination of the entertainment industry as theatre conventions and racial politics collide. The multigenerational cast of Black actors must navigate the tension between artistic integrity and commercial viability, creating a dynamic that forces everyone to confront uncomfortable truths about representation, power, and authenticity in American theatre.

The play's own history mirrors the struggles of its characters in a twist of bitter irony. When "Trouble In Mind" premiered off-Broadway at the Greenwich Mews Theatre in 1955, it was both a critical and popular success, immediately attracting interest from Broadway producers. But those producers wanted Childress to make changes to the script to make it more palatable to commercial audiences. Childress refused to compromise her artistic vision, and the play never made it to Broadway during her lifetime.

It would take 66 years for "Trouble In Mind" to receive its long-awaited Broadway debut. In 2021, Roundabout Theatre Company finally brought the play to the American Airlines Theatre, where it earned four Tony Award nominations and introduced Childress's powerful work to a new generation of theatregoers.

Director Christen Cromwell leads a talented ensemble cast featuring Kay-Megan Washington as Wiletta Mayer, alongside Margaret McCabe Janicki, Brandon Dion Gregory, Mae Philippe-Auguste, Abby Dobry, J Purnell Hargrove, Colin Tillery, Mady Sims, and John Dignam. This production offers DC-area theatre lovers a chance to witness a piece of theatre history that speaks directly to contemporary conversations about representation and equity in the arts.