Dessa Rose
Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater
Previews Began: February 17, 2005
Opening Night: March 21, 2005
Closing Night: May 29, 2005
Music: Stephen Flaherty
Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens
Book: Sherley Anne Williams
In a pre-Civil War America, passionate and innocent Dessa Rose is a young slave who is faced with a barrage of hardships because of her skin color. Ruth is a young, white mother who faces a barrage of hardships because of her gender. Through a series of inspiring turns ranging from comical to tragic, these two women become unlikely and lifelong friends.
Musical Numbers
ACT ONE
We Are Descended…………………………………..Company
Comin’ Down the Quarters………..Kaine, Field Hands,
Dessa Rose
Ol’ Banjar……………………………………Kaine, Dessa Rose
Something of My Own…..Dessa Rose, Rose, Old Ruth
Ink………………………………………Nehemiah, Dessa Rose
The Gold Band…………….Field Hands, Old Ruth, Rose,
Harker, Mrs. Steele, Wilson,
Nehemiah, Nathan, Harker,
Coffle, Field Hands
Little Star…………………….Nathan, Harker, Dessa Rose
The Gold Band (Conclusion)………………….Dessa Rose,
Ensemble
Ladies………………………………….Ruth’s Mother, Dorcas
Bertie’s Waltz………..Bertie, Ruth, Old Dessa, Dorcas,
Ruth’s Mother
At the Glen…………………………………………………….Ruth
Capture the Girl…………………..Nehemiah, Dessa Rose
Fly Away………Woman Parishioners, Men, Nehemiah,
Dessa Rose, Old Ruth, Susannah
Fly Away/How Long Will It Be?…………….Dessa Rose,
Nathan,
Gemina,
Fieldhands
Terrible…………Nehemiah, Gemina, Tina, Joy, Joseph,
Eric, Dessa Rose, Nathan, Harker,
Philip, Old Ruth
Their Eyes Are Clear, Blue Like Sky……….Rose, Ruth,
Old Dessa
Twelve Children……………………………………Dessa Rose
ACT TWO
Noah’s Dove…………….Field Hands, Nathan, Old Ruth,
Dorcas, Ruth, Old Dessa
Fly Away (Reprise)………………..Janet, Annabel, Ilarker,
Philip, Ada, Nathan,
Ensemble
The Scheme……………………Nathan, Ilarker, Ensemble
In the Bend of My Arm………Kaine, Dessa Rose, Ruth,
Nathan, Nehemiah
Better If I Died……………….Dessa Rose, Nathan, Ruth,
Company
Ten Petticoats………………………Ruth’s Mother, Dorcas
Just Over the Line…………..Dessa Rose, Ruth, Nathan,
Old Ruth, Old Dessa, Ada,
Janet, Auctioneer#1,
Annabel, Auctioneer #2,
Harker, Philip, Nehemiah,
Young Black Woman, Susannah
A Pleasure…………………..Ruth, Mr. Oscar, Dessa Rose
White Milk and Red Blood…………….Old Ruth, Dorcas
We Are Descended (Reprise)……..Annabel, Old Ruth,
Old Dessa, Company
Just Over the Line…………………………………..Orchestra
CAST
OPENING NIGHT
Rebecca Eichenberger Ruth’s Mother
Mrs. Steele
Susannah
Tina Fabrique Rose
House Slave
Ada
Auntie Chole
Michael Hayden Adam Nehemiah
David Hess Sheriff Hughes
Trader Wilson
Bertie Sutton
Parishioner
Auctioneer
LaChanze Dessa Rose
Kecia Lewis Dorcas
Field Hand
Gemina
Janet
Norm Lewis Nathan
William Parry Robert Steele
Parishioner
Auctioneer
Mr. Oscar
Sheriff Pine
Soara-Joye Ross Field Hand
Parishioner
House Slave
Annabel
James Stovall Haker
Field Hand
Rachel York Ruth
Eric Jordan Young Kaine
Field Hand
Philip
Understudies: Don Burroughs (Adam Nehemiah, Oscar, Sheriff Pine, Bertie Sutton, Wilson), Kenita R. Miller (Dessa Rose, Annabel), Paul Oakley Stovall (Nathan, Harker, Kaine, Philip), NaTasha Yvette Williams (Dorcas, Janet, Rose, Ada, Chole)