A Classic Theatre is presenting an original musical tribute to St. Augustine’s own jazz singer, Debbie McDade. Debbie’s story is that of a young girl living in the segregated South of the 1940’s who eagerly listened to the daily radio broadcasts from the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem and dreamed of the bright lights of New York City. It took real strength and courage for this teenager to leave home and make her way to an unknown future in the Big Apple! But leave, she did.
Born Emmaline Maultsby in St. Augustine’s Lincolnville, this ... view more »
A Classic Theatre is presenting an original musical tribute to St. Augustine’s own jazz singer, Debbie McDade. Debbie’s story is that of a young girl living in the segregated South of the 1940’s who eagerly listened to the daily radio broadcasts from the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem and dreamed of the bright lights of New York City. It took real strength and courage for this teenager to leave home and make her way to an unknown future in the Big Apple! But leave, she did.
Born Emmaline Maultsby in St. Augustine’s Lincolnville, this talented young singer soon met the great jazz trumpeter, Louis Armstrong, who became her mentor and friend. After several incarnations and at Armstrong’s suggestion, she adopted the stage name Debby Moore. She became a soloist with the Count Basie band and sang with Earl “Fatha” Hines. Her career took her to clubs across America and ultimately around the world!
Family obligations brought her back to St. Augustine in 1976 — a time when she found few opportunities to share her extraordinary talent. Today, her friends know her as Debbie McDade, and in 2013 her hometown celebrated her achievements with a St. John’s Cultural Council ROWITA award, Recognizing Outstanding Women in the Arts.
With a mix of classic blues and popular tunes of the 50’s and 60’s, Sweet Emmaline also features many of Debbie’s own compositions, including her best-known song, “Five Months, Two Weeks, Two Days.”
Cast in the role of Debbie is the beautiful and talented jazz singer Sarah Sanders, best known to North Florida audiences as the classy blues and jazz stylist Mama Blue. A native of Jacksonville, Mama Blue graduated from the prestigious Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and earned a talent scholarship to Jacksonville University. Majoring in vocal performance, her singing career has taken her across southeastern US and Europe. Mama Blue has performed at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church Jazz Vespers and in the Gazebo in the Plaza downtown as part of Romaza’s Festivale of the Arts.
Soranda Louis is making her ACT debut in the role of Amanda, the curious and bright young woman who joins Debbie on her journey and finds her own inspiration along the way. Soranda studies Theatre at Flagler College, where she has appeared in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Macbeth, and The Actor’s Nightmare.
Rounding out the cast, A Classic Theatre is very excited to welcome Curtis Tucker, First Coast Opera’s Artistic Director, who will lend his special talents as a voice over artist to the production.
Playwright/Director Deborah B. Dickey is also the author of CROSSROADS Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Norton S. Baskin in Unguarded Moments and THREADS OF SILVER AND GOLD the Women of the Panama Canal, which were produced by A Classic Theatre in previous seasons.
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