David Barr III

Pegasus Players continues its 28th season with the world premiere of Black Ceasar by David Barr III. This world premiere production of acclaimed Chicago playwright David Barr’s Black Caesar is an African-American adaptation of the Orson Wells film classic Citizen Kane. Black Ceasar chronicles the life of C.J. Caesar; a black newspaper mogul who builds a media empire through playing the ‘race card’ and exacerbating racial tensions. Upon Caesar’s death, reporter T. Darryl Heggans is assigned the task of piecing together who the real CJ Caesar was. Black Caesar explores the lives of the African-American elite and how, even among our most noble leaders, power can corrupt.

“This is our sixth production of a David Barr play and our relationship with David is one that we cherish,” comments Artistic Director Alex Levy. “Pegasus has a long tradition of producing thought provoking, socially-relevant new works that reflect the community in which we live. David is a writer that wants to talk about real issues. He challenges his audiences to look closely at their community and reflect on its history.”

Playwright David Barr III has a long and successful history with Pegasus Players. His last production at Pegasus, The Upper Room, won the Joseph Jefferspn Citation for best new play. His first production at Pegasus The State of Mississippi vs. Emmett Till, was written with Mamie Till Mobley and based on the life and tragic death of her son Emmett Till. The production in 1999 won wide-ranging acclaim, both regionally and nationally. The play was remounted to kick off Pegasus’ 25th anniversary season in 2003. Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit, a musical about the legendary American contralto Marian Anderson had its Chicago premiere in 2000 with Pegasus Players and is published by Dramatic Publishing Company.

David has been a playwright since his first full length work, The Death of the Black Jesus, was produced in 1986. The play received numerous awards and earned him a 1995 Illinois Arts Council Fellowship. Black Jesus was first produced at Kansas City, Missouri’s Unicorn Theatre and made its Windy City debut in 1996 at the Chicago Theatre Company.

His latest plays include, The House that Rocked! which was based on the musical legacies of Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard. It completed a successful run at Chicago’s Black Ensemble Theatre. He is currently adapting Alex Kotlowitz’s award winning novel “There Are No Children here” (for Pegasus Players) and Charles Johnson’s sweeping epic “Middle Passage” (Congo Square Theatre 2008). His next Chicagoland production will be Memphis Soul Stew: The Story of STAX Records (Black Ensemble- Winter 2007).

Black Caesar will run February 22- April 1, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sunday matinees at 3:00pm.