Book Club

In partnership with Townie Books, Firebird presents Jimmy’s Book Club! Resident book enthusiast Jimmy Utley leads a monthly discussion of plays that have had an impact not only on the theatrical world, but the social world as well. Emphasis will be placed on variety, with classic and contemporary selections, authors with varied backgrounds, interesting thematic concepts, different genres, etc. You can pick up a copy of the month’s selection at Townie Books, give it a good read, and then come to Jimmy’s discussion for a fun and fascinating conversation about these amazing plays and playwrights.

September’s selection is August Wilson’s Tony-nominated 1982 play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Part of Wilson’s 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle, which seeks to sketch the Black experience in the 20th century, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is set in 1920s Chicago and deals with issues of race, art, religion, and the historic exploitation of black recording artists by white producers.
Details below:

September 2024 Firebird Book Club
Tuesday, Sept. 24th, 6:30pm
Townie Books (414 Elk Ave. in Crested Butte)
September’s selection will be:
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
by August Wilson
approx. time to read: 60-90 mins

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is set in 1927 Chicago and follows a recording session of Ma Rainey, a pioneering blues singer who was known as the “Mother of the Blues.” The play not only features the title character but also closely follows her band members whose conversations and conflicts over the course of the session come to encapsulate the racial exploitation both of the music industry and of the times in which they live. As Viola Davis (who portrays Rainey in the film version) puts it, what emerges is a cast of characters all “fighting for their value in a culture that erased it.”

Mark your calendars, grab a copy of the play at Townie’s, give it a read and come on the 24th for some fascinating discussion!