A new musical about the life of the American civil rights hero Rosa Parks is being developed. Theater website Playbill reports that writers Victoria Gimby and Stuart Matthew Price are developing the stage show, titled Rosa, in London.
Rosa will tell the story of how Parks went from living a quiet life as a seamstress to becoming the “mother of the US civil rights movement” after refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus for a white man when the ‘white seats’ became full. Her arrest and the subsequent bus boycott by the black community became iconic symbols of the fight against racist segregation policies.
Producer James Yeoburn says in a statement, “Victoria and Stuart have captured in their work the rise of one of history’s most powerful women whose life was spent campaigning for equality not only for her race but for her gender and class. We are delighted to see how beautifully this translates for the stage.”
“This is a human story about an everyday person investing fearlessly in what she felt was right and her contribution has never been more relevant. Rosa’s story is taught to all ages throughout the education systems both in the US and here in the UK. Her message remains strong and continues to empower our leaders of tomorrow,” he adds.
Though there are no details of performances yet, Playbill report that a “full-scale production” is being planned after interest in both the UK and the US.