Americans have long been fascinated by the lore of World War II, and especially that of the Tuskegee Airmen — the renowned military pilots who were the first black military aviators to serve in the U.S. Air Force. In "Katherine's Colored Lieutenant," actress and playwright Nora Cole taps into her family's history in this tempestuous episode of American history. The play embodies the joys and sorrows of a transatlantic relationship that Cole discovered in the mail correspondence between her uncle, a pilot of the Airmen, and her aunt, who was a schoolteacher in Louisville at the time of the war. Geva Theatre Center will host the show's world premiere with Cole acting in the lead role. She is joined by Michael Early, an associate artist with the Classical Theatre of Harlem and graduate of the Yale School of Drama.
"Katherine's Colored Lieutenant" debuts on Thursday, February 5, and runs through February 22 at Geva Theatre Center's Fielding Nextstage, 75 Woodbury Boulevard. Tickets start at $35. Check gevatheatre.org for specific times and prices.