Camden, NJ

Unfinished Women Cry In No Man’s Land While A Bird Dies In A Gilded Cage

Camden Rep celebrates Black History Month with Aishah Rahman’s rarely produced underground classic

Unfinished Women Cry In No Man’s Land While A Bird Dies In A Gilded Cage Immersive Event - Main Image

Camden Repertory Theater celebrates Black History Month with an immersive production of Aishah Rahman’s rarely produced underground classic, boasting a live jazz band and presented in Camden Rep’s unique venue — a typical New Jersey row house with only 20 seats. On March 12, 1955, the same day that virtuoso jazz saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker is dying in the plush boudoir of his wealthy European patroness, the spirited teenagers in the Hide-a-Wee Home for Unwed Mothers (the “unfinished women”) must decide whether to keep their babies or put them up for adoption. The Bird is trapped in lost dreams of the past, while the young women look to the possibilities of the future. Mixing poetry and live music into a rich tapestry of longing and love, Unfinished Women possesses a rare and haunting lyricism not soon forgotten.

Audience Role

Audience will be a "fly on the wall" in Camden's site-specific, 20-seat venue, a traditional New Jersey row house converted into the the Hide-a-Wee Home for UnWed Mothers.

Ages: 13 +

Content Advisories

Discussions of sex/intimacy
Drug use
Themes around mental health

Interaction Advisories

No physical contact with performers

Mobility Advisories

Event is not wheelchair accessible
Stairs

Tags

adoption
Black Arts Movement
Charlie “Bird” Parker
live jazz
New Jersey row house
teen pregnancy
unwed mothers

About Odyssey Theatre Ensemble

A pioneer in the intimate theater movement, Odyssey Theatre Ensemble remains one of Los Angeles’ most adventurous companies, offering world-class live theater experiences for over five decades. Whether it be an original new play, a bold re-envisioned classic, or something hot off the international theater circuit, the Odyssey strives to be provocative, mind-bending and emotionally potent. As an artist-run venture, this unique company is always multicultural in both intent and practice, serving the wonderfully diverse ethnic mix of the Los Angeles community.