From her website, Rain and her father,
icon Richard Rryor at the American
Comedy Awards.
icon Richard Rryor at the American
Comedy Awards.
From the show: "Fried Chicken and Latkes"
RAIN PRYOR is hard at work getting ready to World Premiere her One Woman Off-Broadway show,
titled, "Fried Chicken & Latkes" which heads into previews at the National Black Theatre, in Harlem,
New York, 2031 Fifth Avenue, between 125th and 126th Streets, directed by Kamilah Forbes. The
show runs June 2 thru June 28. Tickets (212) 722- 3800 box office.
“Fried Chicken & Latkes” is a theatrical, cabaret-styled show based on her life growing up Black and
Jewish. MS PRYOR plays 12 characters most pivotal to her life, and takes her audience on a musical
journey through the late 60s, 70s and 80s with some little-known family history. Along the way she
offers a unique perspective on race, identity and the loss of her iconic father Richard Pryor.
"Fried Chicken & Latkes" will have the audience feeling hilarious. MS PRYOR told me she wrote the
script over 15 years ago. And while she has performed "Fried Chicken & Latkes" before sell-out
audiences in Atlanta, New York City, Winston-Salem, NC, Baltimore, and Washington, DC, previously,
this time out MS PRYOR has innovatively joined forces with acclaimed director Kamilah Forbes (“A
Raisin in the Sun,” “Lucky Guy,” “Stick Fly,” “The Mountaintop,” “Holler If Ya Hear Me”) to completely re-
imagine MS PRYOR' creative genius with scenic, lighting, sound, costume, and projection designs.
titled, "Fried Chicken & Latkes" which heads into previews at the National Black Theatre, in Harlem,
New York, 2031 Fifth Avenue, between 125th and 126th Streets, directed by Kamilah Forbes. The
show runs June 2 thru June 28. Tickets (212) 722- 3800 box office.
“Fried Chicken & Latkes” is a theatrical, cabaret-styled show based on her life growing up Black and
Jewish. MS PRYOR plays 12 characters most pivotal to her life, and takes her audience on a musical
journey through the late 60s, 70s and 80s with some little-known family history. Along the way she
offers a unique perspective on race, identity and the loss of her iconic father Richard Pryor.
"Fried Chicken & Latkes" will have the audience feeling hilarious. MS PRYOR told me she wrote the
script over 15 years ago. And while she has performed "Fried Chicken & Latkes" before sell-out
audiences in Atlanta, New York City, Winston-Salem, NC, Baltimore, and Washington, DC, previously,
this time out MS PRYOR has innovatively joined forces with acclaimed director Kamilah Forbes (“A
Raisin in the Sun,” “Lucky Guy,” “Stick Fly,” “The Mountaintop,” “Holler If Ya Hear Me”) to completely re-
imagine MS PRYOR' creative genius with scenic, lighting, sound, costume, and projection designs.
When Multi-Talented Singer/Actress/Writer RAIN PRYOR Takes Center
Stage in Her Autobiographical One Woman Show - Fried Chicken & Latkes
She says "Cabaret Meets Theater Meets Stand-Up"
World Premiere June 2-28, 2015 at National Black Theater in Harlem, NY
By: Gatsby Melodi'
Stage in Her Autobiographical One Woman Show - Fried Chicken & Latkes
She says "Cabaret Meets Theater Meets Stand-Up"
World Premiere June 2-28, 2015 at National Black Theater in Harlem, NY
By: Gatsby Melodi'
NEW YORK June 1, 2015 - Where are you? I began my interview with
RAIN PRYOR, Richard Pryor's daughter "I am in New York now
because of the show, and doing rehearsals. But I live in
Baltimore", MS PRYOR responded.
Baltimore? How long have you been living in Baltimore, I asked
her? "After my dad passed I moved to Baltimore. I had to get
away. I had two friends living there. I knew I wanted a family.
And then I learned that my grandmother who ran the brothel, and
my grandfather had lived there. So I have family ties in
Baltimore,and I've been living there since 2006.", she pleasantly
replied.
It was indeed an honor, and privilege to interview the talented
RAIN PRYOR, whom I must add called me at 8:58AM to do my
scheduled 9AM interview. A sign of a true professional. RAIN
PRYOR (www.rainpryor.com) is an award-winning actor, director,
singer, writer, producer, stand-up comedian, activist, dynamic
speaker and mother. She was such a delight and joy to interview.
When was the first time you knew you were funny, I asked MS
PRYOR. "When I was about 6 years old. My dad put me in a
rainbow colored wig and gave me a mic." she humored.
RAIN PRYOR, Richard Pryor's daughter "I am in New York now
because of the show, and doing rehearsals. But I live in
Baltimore", MS PRYOR responded.
Baltimore? How long have you been living in Baltimore, I asked
her? "After my dad passed I moved to Baltimore. I had to get
away. I had two friends living there. I knew I wanted a family.
And then I learned that my grandmother who ran the brothel, and
my grandfather had lived there. So I have family ties in
Baltimore,and I've been living there since 2006.", she pleasantly
replied.
It was indeed an honor, and privilege to interview the talented
RAIN PRYOR, whom I must add called me at 8:58AM to do my
scheduled 9AM interview. A sign of a true professional. RAIN
PRYOR (www.rainpryor.com) is an award-winning actor, director,
singer, writer, producer, stand-up comedian, activist, dynamic
speaker and mother. She was such a delight and joy to interview.
When was the first time you knew you were funny, I asked MS
PRYOR. "When I was about 6 years old. My dad put me in a
rainbow colored wig and gave me a mic." she humored.
I asked MS PRYOR if she lived with her mom and dad or did they share custody, and she responded,
"I lived with my dad for two months when I was 13, and then I went back to live with him when I was 16
until I turned 18". She said she has lots of memories growing up with Richard Pryor the icon as her
father, like taking dance classes, but she said, he was just dad.
"My dad was just dad. He was very truthful and honest with me. If he was supposed to spend time
with me and didn't show up because he went with a woman instead, he was honest with me about it.
There were no facades, or excuses. He'd tell me the truth."
Before my interview with RAIN PRYOR, I'd read in her bio, that when she started to perform stand-up
comedy that many people expected her to be like her pop, Richard Pryor, but she was determined to
have her own identify. "That's true, and there are similarities. But I am a female. He was larger than
life. He was an ancestor pushing forward. Now I am an ancestor pushing forward", she told me.
About her show Fried Chicken and Latkes, she reveals, "The show has transformed trails, tribulations,
and many years of stress and broken promises. I wrote 12 different characters fifteen years ago. I
stopped performing it for five years. Two years ago I started performing it again."
Richard Pryor died December 10, 2005, I asked MS PRYOR if her pop got a chance to see her
perform her One Woman Show before his death, and if so what he thought of her mimicking him.
She told me that he did get to see her And she said, "I had to get his permission".
She told me she started by watching his videos, and practicing doing him in concert. She said she
remembers the happy look on his face when she asked him, "What do you think? I'm doing you!"
RAIN PRYOR told me the show is 80 minutes without any intermission, "but it moves very, very fast".
She said she is singing. I asked if she is rapping or really singing, and she responded "I am really
singing. This is cabaret meets theater meets stand-up."
I asked MS PRYOR how she hoped theater-goers would feel leaving her performance, and she
responded, "I want them to have a sense of "we can." We can't forget the words of our ancestors to
keep moving. While this play is about me. It really is not about me. It is about change. It is about
healing. We have to change. We have to continue to protect and heal. We have to change."
"I lived with my dad for two months when I was 13, and then I went back to live with him when I was 16
until I turned 18". She said she has lots of memories growing up with Richard Pryor the icon as her
father, like taking dance classes, but she said, he was just dad.
"My dad was just dad. He was very truthful and honest with me. If he was supposed to spend time
with me and didn't show up because he went with a woman instead, he was honest with me about it.
There were no facades, or excuses. He'd tell me the truth."
Before my interview with RAIN PRYOR, I'd read in her bio, that when she started to perform stand-up
comedy that many people expected her to be like her pop, Richard Pryor, but she was determined to
have her own identify. "That's true, and there are similarities. But I am a female. He was larger than
life. He was an ancestor pushing forward. Now I am an ancestor pushing forward", she told me.
About her show Fried Chicken and Latkes, she reveals, "The show has transformed trails, tribulations,
and many years of stress and broken promises. I wrote 12 different characters fifteen years ago. I
stopped performing it for five years. Two years ago I started performing it again."
Richard Pryor died December 10, 2005, I asked MS PRYOR if her pop got a chance to see her
perform her One Woman Show before his death, and if so what he thought of her mimicking him.
She told me that he did get to see her And she said, "I had to get his permission".
She told me she started by watching his videos, and practicing doing him in concert. She said she
remembers the happy look on his face when she asked him, "What do you think? I'm doing you!"
RAIN PRYOR told me the show is 80 minutes without any intermission, "but it moves very, very fast".
She said she is singing. I asked if she is rapping or really singing, and she responded "I am really
singing. This is cabaret meets theater meets stand-up."
I asked MS PRYOR how she hoped theater-goers would feel leaving her performance, and she
responded, "I want them to have a sense of "we can." We can't forget the words of our ancestors to
keep moving. While this play is about me. It really is not about me. It is about change. It is about
healing. We have to change. We have to continue to protect and heal. We have to change."
In collaboration with the National Black
Theater, Kamilah Forbes has brought on a full
creative team to mount the production,
including Drama Desk Awardee Maruti Evans
(scenic and lighting design), Dede Ayite
(costume design), Eric Sluyter (sound
design), Katherine Freer (projection designer)
and Ayisha Hunt (stage management), and so
audiences can expect new songs, script
elements and other production
enhancements, including projection.
Theater, Kamilah Forbes has brought on a full
creative team to mount the production,
including Drama Desk Awardee Maruti Evans
(scenic and lighting design), Dede Ayite
(costume design), Eric Sluyter (sound
design), Katherine Freer (projection designer)
and Ayisha Hunt (stage management), and so
audiences can expect new songs, script
elements and other production
enhancements, including projection.
check out this video in her own words
RAIN PRYOR on The Making of "Fried Chicken and Latkes"
RAIN PRYOR on The Making of "Fried Chicken and Latkes"
