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For more information, interviews, or press passes, please contact:
Leigh Allen, Marketing Director
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(937) 461-3823, ext. 3112

SPARROW TO TAKE FLIGHT IN DAYTON
An Amazing Musical Journey through the Life of a Great American Star

DAYTON, OH - May 27- Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow is a one-woman show, but two women with strong musical theatre credentials will be involved in the Human Race Theatre Company production about the life of one of the foremost singing, stage and screen stars of the 20th century.

One of those women is Danielle Lee Greaves, who will portray Waters looking back over her remarkable life, with its rise from abject poverty to fame as a singer and actress and transformation from bitterness to love for all mankind. Greaves, most recently in the Old Globe Theatre of San Diego’s production of Stephen Schwartz’s Working, has been in the original casts of Hairspray and the Hal Prince Show Boat revival, as well in Rent and Sunset Boulevard on Broadway. Her national and international tour experience includes Rent, The Lion King, Show Boat and Hair. Greaves also has extensive TV experience, including a recurring role in Whoopi on NBC.

The other is director Schele Williams, for whom Sparrow will represent a homecoming. Williams is a Dayton native whose parents still live here - her father is James “Diamond” Williams, percussionist of the Ohio Players. She’s a grad of Stivers and Colonel White and a Muse Machine alumna. Williams was one of the directors of the February Defying Inequality: The Broadway Concert. Her Broadway performance credits include Aida and Rent, for which she has been a dance supervisor or choreographer in numerous international productions.

Since Waters' remarkable career went from singing the blues in nightclubs and major roles on Broadway and in movies to becoming the lead singer of the Billy Graham Crusades, it’s appropriate that both Greaves and Williams have had a long history with Broadway Inspirational Voices, a large gospel group.

Waters’ fame was gained as in an entirely different genre, however, and Greaves will be performing the singer’s greatest hits, from Frankie and Johnny and Am I Blue to Heat Wave and Stormy Weather, as well as the title gospel song.

Joining Greaves on The Loft Theatre stage will be Cincinnati-based pianist Scot Woolley. Woolley has been involved in numerous Human Race productions, most recently Shenandoah and Harold and Maude: The Musical.

Tamara L. Honesty is the Scenic Designer, Human Race Resident Artist John Rensel the Lighting Designer, Lowell Mathwich the Costume Designer, and Matthew Benjamin the Sound Designer.

Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow is sponsored by First Church, A United Methodist Community; Morris Home Furnishings; 92.1 WROU; Dayton Daily News; Square One Salon and Day Spa; and Bieser, Greer & Landis.

To find out more about the show and The Human Race Theatre, visit www.humanracetheatre.org.

Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow will run June 11-28 at The Loft Theatre at 126 N. Main St. Tickets are available by calling (937) 228-3630 or toll-free (888) 228-3630 or at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow

Schele Williams and Danielle Lee Greaves, with Scot Woolley at the piano

Photo: Scott J. Kimmins
   

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Founded in 1986, The Human Race Theatre Company moved to the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence at the 219-seat Loft Theatre. In addition to the Eichelberger Loft Season, The Human Race produces for the Victoria Theatre’s Broadway Series, the Musical Theatre Workshop series, and special event programming. The Human Race, under the direction of Artistic Director Marsha Hanna and Executive Director Kevin Moore, also maintains education and outreach programs for children, teens and adults, as well as artist residencies in area schools, The Muse Machine In-School Tour, Youth Summer Stock, and The Human Race Conservatory. Human Race organizational support is provided by Culture Works, Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District, Shubert Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.