Stranded in Tennessee, and charged with defrauding a Daughter of the Confederacy out of family Civil War heirlooms worth over $1M, a young black appraiser from L.A. must find a way to win the suit, or face ruin. Inspired by the true story of an Antiques Road Show appraiser who cheated a family out of a million dollars’ worth of Confederate memorabilia, this four-woman play looks at what we value, and what it costs us. A timely exploration of the improbable road to reparations, and a reminder that sometimes Justice bats last. Premiere: Central Works, Berkeley, CA, February 2018.
It was a Finalist in the Theatre Bay Area Awards for Outstanding Original World Premiere, and was awarded Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Production, as well as two Outstanding Lead Actor Awards, for Stacy Ross and Chelsea Bearce.
Reviews
“Playwright Patricia Milton has done excellent work here, peppering her script with dozens of wonderful lines that elicited roars of laughter from the audience … Director Gary Graves has elicited absolutely marvelous performances from his cast.” Patrick Thomas, SFBATCC
“… as in most of Milton’s plays dealing with complex, controversial issues, it is by no means heavy-handed. The pacing is fast, the dialogue smart, sassy, and snappy. ” Gaetana Caldwell-Smith, Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle
“With her first hand knowledge and a writer’s eye for building a narrative from conflict to conflict, [Milton] has crafted a memorable play. . . a thoroughly entertaining work.” Victor Cordell, SFBATCC
“Bamboozled is a winning play, with a bright cast and an entertaining and meaningful story.” ~E. Mendel, Berkeleyside
“A delightful evening’s entertainment…go see” M. Field, For All Events
“Bamboozled steals your heart” B. Horowitz, Theatrius
Bamboozled “is emphatically a comedy” L. Janiak, SF Chronicle Datebook
Sam Hurwitt interviews Patricia Milton in The Mercury News
Andrew Gilbert interviews Patricia Milton in The Monthly
Read it on the New Play Exchange.
View the production trailer:
Photos
A gallery of photos from the world premiere of Bamboozled at Central Works, March 2018. All photos by Jim Norrena, ACT OUT Photography. Cast: Jeunée Simon as Abby, Chelsea Bearce as Savannah, Stacy Ross as Rochelle, and Susan Jackson as Opal Anne.
