Born For This: The BeBe Winans Story, the hilarious and heartwarming true story of six-time Grammy Award-winning icon BeBe Winans’s journey to fame, will premiere on the Alliance Stage, April 13 – May 15, 2016. Born For This is directed by celebrated director and playwright Charles Randolph-Wright (Motown The Musical). The new musical is populated with original music as well as Winans family hits, with book by Randolph-Wright and Winans. Born For This: The BeBe Winans Story is a co-production with Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
In Born For This, Detroit natives BeBe and CeCe Winans, youngest siblings of the Winans family dynasty, experience the ultimate in culture shocks when invited to join Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s Praise The Lord Network. The Winans teenagers become not only television celebrities, they also become like adopted children of the Bakkers, integrating TV evangelism. As BeBe and CeCe encounter fame, fortune, and even a young Whitney Houston, BeBe must learn to balance his desire for success with his true calling.
Universal themes run through this personal story. “When you’re a teenager you don’t think your life is being recorded for others to learn from, or be healed by, or better yet to find strength through your fears and failures,” shared BeBe Winans. “Now I know that these were God’s plans for my life. We’re all born for a purpose. This musical celebrates the journey of finding it.”
Leading the cast as BeBe and CeCe Winans are Winans family members and accomplished performers Juan Winans and Deborah Joy Winans. Juan Winans is a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, and sister Deborah Joy Winans is currently filming “Greenleaf,” the OWN original TV series for which BeBe Winans is the Executive Music Producer. Full casting, including ensemble, will be released at a later date.
The creative team for Born For This: The BeBe Winans Story includes Set Designer Neil Patel, Tony Award-winning Costume Designer William Ivey Long, Choreographer Warren Adams, Lighting Designer Diane Ferry Williams, Projection Designer John Narun, Sound Designer Jesse Stevens, Music Supervisor and gospel music songwriter/producer, Donald Lawrence, and Music Director Steven Jamail.
On Tuesday, March 15, the Alliance will host Behind the Musical – a special Q&A event with the creators of Born For This, Charles Randolph-Wright and BeBe Winans, and Music Supervisor Donald Lawrence. Audience members will enjoy the behind-the-scenes, making-of story of Born For This, moderated by Alliance Theatre Artistic Director, Susan V. Booth, as well as a sneak peek musical performance from the production. This event is free, but RSVPs are strongly encouraged. www.alliancetheatre.org/behind-the-musical
Regular performances of Born For This: The BeBe Winans Story are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., April 13 – May 15, 2016. There will be no 2:30 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 16 or Saturday, April 23. Opening Night is Saturday, April 23, at 8:00 p.m.
Tickets start at $20 and are available at the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office in person or by calling 404.733.5000. Tickets are also available online at www.alliancetheatre.org/bornforthis. Discounted rates for groups of 10 or more are available by calling 404.733.4690. Discounted rates are also available for members of the military, seniors, and students. A special morning performance is also available for school field trips on Thursday, April 28, 11:00 a.m. Learn more by calling 404.733.4661.
The Alliance Theatre is located at the Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30309, at the corner of Peachtree and 15th Street.