SWEET POTATO QUEENS® is a high-powered musical that tells the story of Jill and her closest friends and how they learn to grab life by the sequins, feathers and tiaras to live their lives on their own terms…as big as a parade! Based on the wildly-successful books by Jill Conner Browne, this brilliant new show features a writing dream team of pop music and Broadway song icons Melissa Manchester, Rupert Holmes and Sharon Vaughn.
Watch the trailer for the World Premiere of SWEET POTATO QUEENS at Theatre Under the Stars
Photo from TUTS 2016 production
Coming Soon
SWEET POTATO QUEENS
Book by RUPERT HOLMES
Music by MELISSA MANCHESTER
Lyrics by SHARON VAUGHN
Based on the works of JILL CONNER BROWNE
5 female and 3 male featured roles
JILL: our protagonist and, ultimately, the inventor of the Sweet Potato Queens and supreme Queen who reigns on her own parade. Unhappy wife to second husband TYLER, mother to her baby daughter Peep. Her dreams are long-deferred. Loosely based on #1 New York Times best-selling author and SPQ figurehead Jill Conner Browne.
FLOWER TAMMY: an attractive, timid woman whose sunglasses are tinted rose and who carries a secret.
FLOOZIE TAMMY: a brash “good time girl” — and a good time was had by all.
TOO MUCH TAMMY: generously proportioned and unhappy with nature’s generosity.
GEORGE: lady-in-waiting to the Queens, their BFF who dreams of someday joining their ranks; doubles in the role of Chinese restaurateur GEORGE WONG without any change in appearance.
MAMA: Jill’s live-in mom who sets Jill’s sights low.
TYLER: Jill’s “good-looking-and-knows-it” second husband who views Jill as his first wife.
DADDY: Jill’s devoted father, who seems detached from his beloved daughter’s plight. Doubles as REPORTER.
Piano-Conductor
Keyboard 2
Reed
Electric Guitar
Electric Bass
Drums