New Brunswick, New Jersey’s State Theatre is one of the early opening locations for Shelly Garrett’s presently touring Beauty Shop. It is a fitting location for two entertainment giants to partner for greater success. State Theatre is a renovated building that once presented vaudeville and silent theatre performances.
America’s Top Selling African American Live Stage Play
Since December 26, 1921 the theatre has brought audiences first rate performances from some of the world’s best singers, dancers, actresses and other artists. October 17, 2009 the theatre ushered in writer, director and producer Shelly Garrett’s historically successful live stage play Beauty Shop 2009.
After Beauty Shop opened in 1989, the production toured the United States for three years. According to the play’s official program, at the end of the tour, Beauty Shop had entertained audiences in sixty-five cities. The production opened at New York City’s Beacon Theatre for a stretch of thirteen weeks in its early days, selling the 2,800 seat auditorium out for each show.
Shelly Garrett Mounting Creative Works
Other plays that Shelly Garrett has created, directed or/and produced include You’re Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else, The Living Room, What Kinda Love Is This, I’m Doing the Right Thing With the Wrong Man and The Angels of Christmas. At his official website Shelly Garrett also offers up and coming playwrights training through conferences. Effective script formats, how to determine if a show is comedy, gospel or inspirational work, intermission lengths, copyrighting a script and knowing how long to create each act are subjects covered during the training conferences.
Earlier in his career, Shelly Garrett partnered with ABC Television and created New Attitudes, a television sitcom that openly displayed the talents of actresses and actors like Sheryl Lee Ralph, Phyllis Stickney, Morris Day and Janet DuBois, one of the starring actresses from the 1970s hit comedic sitcom Good Times. Other talented actresses and actors Shelly Garrett has worked with include Vivica Fox, Kym Whitley, Garrett Morris and Darrin Henson.
Godfather of Black Theatre
To date Shelly Garrett has written, directed and produced 17 stage plays. His work ethic has caused some people to refer to him as the Godfather of Black Theatre. In September 2009, Garrett married Doris Gadson, an actress and business woman who presently serves at the executive producer for Shelly Garrett Entertainment.
Beauty Shop’s current production team includes ventriloquist Willie Brown and his side kick “Woody”, Doris Garrett, Tabitha King, Melissa Chambers, Byron Mims, Darlene Allen and Dunnovan Waddell. Darlene and Dunnovan portray two of the most outlandish characters in the play that pulls the audience into parts of the act.
Although the October 17, 2009 showing of Beauty Shop was advertised in local markets to include singing sensation, Johnny Gill, Johnny was not in the October 17 show. Laughter was still aplenty and Tabitha King and Byron Mims sang their way to loud applause.
What Does The Future Hold For Shelly Garrett
Time will tell what Shelly Garrett and his entertainment group takes on and achieves next. Over the years, African American live stage play productions have been extended across broader markets by talented African American leaders and writers, directors and producers like Tyler Perry. The latest Beauty Shop speaks to the wrongs of domestic violence and the power of true romantic love.
Shelly Garrett's plays are available at the venues where the live stage plays are performed. Theatre goers and movie lovers can also get copies of Shelly Garrett's plays from companies like Cushcity.com, Amazon.com and Movies Unlimited. Tabitha King, one of the feature actresses in the 2009 Beauty Shop play also has a music CD out titled Mind Games. Mind Games is available for people's listening pleasure at CD Baby, an online music entertainment merchant.
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