By the Way, Meet Vera Stark
Lynn Nottage
Lynn Nottage
Content warning [May contain spoilers]
The Golden Age of Hollywood sparkled with both legends and forgotten gems. Meet Vera Stark, a determined actress who begins her journey into film while working as a maid to star Gloria Mitchell. When both women are cast in the hit Southern drama 'The Belle of New Orleans,' it seems Vera's dreams of stardom might finally come true – but her path through Hollywood's complex landscape reveals unexpected turns.
This clever satire blends screwball comedy with thoughtful commentary on the entertainment industry's shifting tides and unwritten rules. Vera's character draws inspiration from Theresa Harris who performed in classics like Baby Face (1933), Jezebel (1938), and Miracle on 34th Street (1947). Though her name may have faded from marquee lights, through one woman's story, we glimpse an entire era of Hollywood history, with all its glitter and shadows.
This production is suitable for ages 16 and over.
Produced by Second Stage Theatre, New York, 2011 (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director).
Originally commissioned and developed by South Coast Repertory and Center Stage.
Depictions of:
discrimination and/or biogotry (racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia)
References to:
death and/or dying, discrimination and/or biogotry (racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia)
Mentions of:
fatphobia
The ADC Theatre is Britain's oldest University playhouse, today administered and maintained by the University of Cambridge. Plays have been presented on the site since 1855, when the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club (CUADC) was founded, and the society met and performed in the back room of the Hoop Inn, which stood almost exactly where the ADC Theatre stands today. Today, the ADC Theatre is the centre of University drama in Cambridge, run almost entirely by students with no Faculty involvement.
Access
When you arrive at the ADC Theatre, there are power assisted doors to the Box Office. In the foyer there is a lift which leads up to the bar and auditorium. The accessible toilet is located on the ground floor across the foyer. Further information can be found here.
If you are booking a wheelchair seat in the ADC auditorium for the first time, please call the Box Office on 01223 300085 or email access@adctheatre.com. We will then alter the permissions of your ADC account so that you can access the wheelchair seats on our website when you book in the future.
Complimentary tickets are available for full-time carers.
The ADC Theatre and Corpus Playroom is fitted with an infra-red audio system designed to help deaf and hard of hearing patrons. If you are using the system for the first time, please arrive early and seek advice from our Front of House team.
Assistance dogs are welcome in both of our venues. Please call the Box Office or email the above address when booking to ensure you are seated appropriately.
The Park Street car park, which is typically used by customers of the ADC Theatre, is closed until August 2024. We recommend that you park in the Grand Arcade car park (10 minute walk) or the Castle Hill car park (15 minute walk). Parking in City Council car parks is free after 6pm. You can find out more information here.