Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor presents “Unbossed & Unbowed,” a one-woman play written and performed by Ingrid Griffith about the life of Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman to run for the Presidency of the United States. The show will have two performances at Bay Street in celebration of Black History Month, one for a school audience on Saturday, February 17, and a public performance on Sunday, February 19, at 2 PM.
“Unbossed & Unbowed” is a solo show written by Ingrid Griffith, a performer, playwright, and teaching artist of Guyanese heritage. The play tells the largely unheard story of Shirley Chisholm, a Brooklyn-born politician of immigrant parents, who in the 20th century, was the first African-American woman to win a seat in Congress and to run for the Presidency. Using humor, history, and a call for present day activism, Shirley Chisholm is back with a forthright crispness and clarity that were distinctly her, inviting audiences to consider and redefine personal success and to understand the power of social commitment.
“I’ve been moved to write and share Shirley Chisholm’s story in the hope that more people will become aware of her contributions and appreciate how her voices resonates today,” said Griffith. Adding, “I’m drawn to tell stories about the immigrant experience, about being an outsider and daring to be one’s self. I’m interested in social norms and cultural barriers that keep girls and women down, and in stories that promote and celebrate girls and women’s empowerment.”
Ingrid Griffith has appeared in numerous off-Broadway productions in and around New York City. Her first one-woman show “Demerara Gold” has sold-out shows across the United States and Guyana. “Unbossed & Unbowed” is her latest production and has been performed in select venues in New York along with performances in Barbados and Guyana.
Tickets are $35. Visit baystreet.org.