Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It!

By Cheryl L. West, Directed by Henry Godinez

September 17 – October 3, 2020

In collaboration with the Chicago Park District, Goodman Theatre presents Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On it!, adapted by Cheryl L. West from her play Fannie, a FREE abriged version of the play—recently announced as part of the 2021 Season—in the community and parks for three weeks beginning September 17.

Featuring Chicago actor and singer E. Faye Butler, this electrifying call to action is inspired by the life of famed civil and voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer—and uses storytelling and music to remind us there’s courage in the face of fire, hope in tomorrow and that we all have a stake in our country.

A Goodman Co-Commission with Seattle Reperatory Theatre

RECENT PRESS RELEASES

October 6, 2020: Happy Birthday to Fannie Lou Hamer; Final *Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It!* Performances This Week

September 30, 2020: New Performances for *Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It!*

September 25, 2020: Weekend’s Performances Canceled for *Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak on It!*

September 8, 2020: Goodman Theatre Presents Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! In Free Limited Outdoor Engagement

Video

CLICK HERE DOWNLOAD HD QUALITY VIDEO

Photos

Press Items

Download File	Cheryl L. West, Playwright CHERYL L. WEST (Playwright) returns to the Goodman where her play Pullman Porter Blues was produced in 2013. Her plays have also been seen at Minneapolis Children’s Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Rep, Indiana Rep, Arena Stage, Old Globe, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Bay Street Theatre Festival, Syracuse Stage, Cleveland Play House, South Coast Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Off?Broadway’s Second Stage. Plays include Last Stop on Market Street, Shout Sister Shout, Akeelah and the Bee, and Jar the Floor. She has written TV and film projects at Disney, Paramount, MTV Films, Showtime, TNT, HBO, CBS, BET and is the Webby-nominated writer for the original web series Diary of a Single Mom. Author: A. Booker Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Headshots
Download File	Henry Godinez, Director Henry Godinez (Director) is the Resident Artistic Associate at Goodman Theatre. His Goodman directing credits include Charise Castro Smith’s Feathers and Teeth, The Sins of Sor Juana and Mariela in the Desert by Karen Zacarías; José Rivera’s Boleros for the Disenchanted (and world premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre); Regina Taylor’s Millennium Mambo; Luis Alfaro’s Electricidad and Straight as a Line; The Cook by Eduardo Machado; Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez; the Goodman/Teatro Vista co-production of José Rivera’s Cloud Tectonics and the 1996–2001 productions of A Christmas Carol. He also served as director of the Goodman’s Latino Theatre Festival. As an actor, Godinez appeared most recently in Goodman’s The Winter’s Tale, 2666 and the Goodman/Teatro Buendía of Cuba world premiere of Pedro Páramo, and at Writers Theatre in the title role of Quixote: In the Conquest of Self. He has also appeared on television in Chicago PD, Above the Law, The Beast, The Chicago Code, Boss and Chicago Fire. Co-founder and former artistic director of Teatro Vista, Godinez is the recipient of the 1999 Theatre Communications Group Alan Schneider Director Award, the Distinguished Service Award from the Lawyers for the Creative Arts and was honored as the 2008 Latino Professional of the Year by the Chicago Latino Network. Born in Havana, Cuba, Godinez is a professor at Northwestern University and serves on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Arts Council. Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Headshots
Download File	8×10 FLH (No Billing) Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org
Download File	8×10 FLH Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org
Download File	E. Faye Butler E. Faye Butler (Fannie Lou Hamer) returns to Goodman Theatre, where she most recently appeared in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Previous Goodman credits include Pullman Porter Blues, Crowns, Ain’t Misbehavin, A Christmas Carol and Purlie. National and Regional tours: Mamma Mia, Dinah Was, Ain’t Misbehavin, Nunsense and Cope. E. Faye performs in regional theaters across the country including Arena Stage, Steppenwolf Theatre, Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Baltimore Centerstage, La Jolla Playhouse, Marriott Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, Mixed Blood, Illusion Theatre, Signature Theatre, Olney Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, The Muny, St. Louis Repertory, Seattle Repertory, Drury Lane Theatre, Congo Square, Fulton Theatre, MSMT, Sacramento Music Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, The Barn, The Kennedy Center, Arkansas Repertory, Chicago Children Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Porchlight Music Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre DC, Milwaukee Repertory, Peninsula Players, Paper Mill Playhouse, Dallas Theatre Center and ASOLO Repertory. She is the recipient of nine Jeff Awards, four Black Theatre Alliance, an After Dark, John Barrymore, RAMI, two Helen Hayes, two Black Excellence, Kathryn V. Lampkey, Ovation, Excellence in the Arts, 2016 Rosetta LeNoire, Sarah Siddons Leading Lady and Guy Adkins Awards. Sge was also named a 2011 Lunt-Fontanne Fellow. She was inducted into the National Women in the Arts Museum in Washington DC and recently released her first House and Club single in Milan, Italy, “Down To the Rhythm”. Proud AEA member. Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Headshots
Download File	Felton Offard Felton Offard (Music Director/Arrangements) grew up in Freeport Illinois and attended Northern Illinois University, earning both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees. Goodman productions include Purlie and Crowns. Other Chicago area productions include Hamilton(Private Bank Theatre); The Color Purple (Cadillac Palace); Addams Family, First Wives Club, Motown (Ford Oriental); Sister Act (Marriott ); Could It Be Magic? (Mercury Theatre); Raisin (Court Theatre); Blue Brothers (CCPA); Comfortable Shoes (Royal George Theatre); Grease (Auditorium Theatre). Touring credits include Jersey Boys, Three Mo ’Divas, Flashdance, Standing In The Shadows Of Motown and Come Fly Away/Fly With Me. Regional theatre include Come Fly With Me (Alliance Theatre). Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Headshots
Download File	Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! Trailer_Driver Side Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Rehearsal Photos
Download File	Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! Trailer_Stage Side Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Rehearsal Photos
Download File	FLH_Reh01 Felton Offard (Music Director) and E. Faye Butler (Fannie Lou Hamer) in rehearsal for Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Rehearsal Photos
Download File	FLH_Reh02 E. Faye Butler (Fannie Lou Hamer) and Felton Offard (Music Director) in rehearsal for Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Rehearsal Photos
Download File	FLH_Reh03 Felton Offard (Music Director) in rehearsal for Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Rehearsal Photos
Download File	FLH_Reh04 Henry Godinez (Director) in rehearsal for Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Rehearsal Photos
Download File	FLH_Reh05 E. Faye Butler (Fannie Lou Hamer) in rehearsal for Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Goodman Theatre Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Rehearsal Photos
Download File	FLH_Pro01 E. Faye Butler (Fannie Lou Hamer) in Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Liz Lauren Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Production Photos
Download File	FLH_Pro04 Felton Offard (Music Director/Arrangements) and E. Faye Butler (Fannie Lou Hamer) in Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Liz Lauren Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Production Photos
Download File	FLH_Pro02 Felton Offard (Music Director/Arrangements) and E. Faye Butler (Fannie Lou Hamer) in Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Liz Lauren Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Production Photos
Download File	FLH_Pro03 Felton Offard (Music Director/Arrangements) in Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Liz Lauren Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Production Photos
Download File	FLH_Pro05 E. Faye Butler (Fannie Lou Hamer) in Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Liz Lauren Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Production Photos
Download File	FLH_Pro06 E. Faye Butler (Fannie Lou Hamer) in rehearsal for Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez (September 17 – October 3) GoodmanTheatre.org/SpeakOnIt Author: Liz Lauren Email: press@goodmantheatre.org Category: Production Photos