Actor-singer-playwright Synthia L. Hardy brings the story of Billie Holiday to vibrant life. In Billie! Backstage with Lady Day, Billie is being interviewed by unseen reporters as she unfolds the story of her turbulent life. Billie, accompanied by a pianist, sings her greatest hits, including God Bless the Child, Strange Fruit, Good Morning Heartache, Lover Man, many more.

Winner of the NAACP Theatre Award for Best One Person Show, Artistic Director Achievement Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy and Best One Person Show, Billie! Backstage With Lady Day combines storytelling and song to capture the essence of Billie Holiday’s music and life. In the first act of the play, written and performed by Synthia L. Hardy and directed by Bryan Rasmussen, Holiday unfolds the truth about her turbulent life – combating racism, navigating abusive relationships, and enduring multiple arrests. While answering the questions of two unseen reporters. she entwines her biography and explanations of the inspiration for and history of her music with performances of her popular numbers, notably “Strange Fruit.” In the second act, Hardy embodies Lady Day, accompanied by pianist Woody Woods in a concert of her hits that includes “Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do” and “Willow, Weep for Me.”