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Sieminski Theater presents "Bette Davis Ain't for Sissies"

originally published: 08/17/2023


(BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- Prepare to be transported back in time to the golden age of Hollywood as the Sieminski Theater presents Bette Davis Ain't for Sissies, a captivating theatrical experience that chronicles the remarkable journey of Hollywood legend Bette Davis. The show is set to take place on September 17 at 2:30pm, featuring a riveting performance by actress and playwright Jessica Sherr.

Hollywood icon Bette Davis broke the glass ceiling for women in the entertainment industry. Trapped by the movie studios who owned her, Bette wrestled with movie moguls, and fought against their unfair system of low pay and meager roles. See Bette triumph over the studio heads’ misogyny to win starring roles and compensation on par with her male counterparts. Her story inspires and empowers audiences to fight for fair and equitable treatment, and to never let themselves be defined by someone else’s expectations!

Actress and playwright, Jessica Sherr, powerfully channels Bette Davis in her fight against the male-dominated studio system. On the night of the 1939 Oscars, Bette returns home knowing she’s to lose Best Actress to Vivien Leigh’s Scarlett O’Hara, because the press has leaked the winners. Miss Davis takes us on the bumpy ride of her tumultuous rise, as this tenacious actress fights her way up the studio system to reach the top of her profession.

Through conversations with her mother Ruthie, scenes of her friendship with Olivia De Havilland, her love affairs with revered film director William Wyler and eccentric millionaire Howard Hughes, her dysfunctional relationship with her daughter, her four failed marriages, her groundbreaking court case with Warner Brothers (which she lost), and being subject to ageism in Hollywood, we experience Bette’s most defining and most vulnerable moments: her courageous battle against sexism and inequity.

Bette Davis Ain’t For Sissies, directed by Karen Carpenter, gives audiences a humanizing experience into the mind of a global icon whose voice could not remain silent. Her battles and victories were generations ago, but her story is an inspiration for today, empowering audiences to stand up and fight for what they believe in. Forever!




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Tickets are available online at sieminskitheater.org or by phone at 908-580-3892. Tickets range from $35.00 to $55.00 with discounts available for students and seniors. The theater is located at 8000 Fellowship Road, Basking Ridge on the campus of Fellowship Village.

Enjoy an up-scale, sumptuous Sunday Brunch, with a full ala carte menu and pricing, before any Sunday matinee.  Just steps away from the theater in their Terrace View Restaurant. For more info or to make a reservation call 908-580-3818.

Bringing a professional performing arts venue with a diverse lineup of entertainment to Basking Ridge and the surrounding communities makes the Sieminski Theater and Somerset County an artistic and cultural destination. They enjoy a newly expanded performance schedule from American Theater Group, Light Opera of New Jersey, New Jersey Festival Orchestra, Trilogy Repertory, and countless national touring groups. Their intimate, award-winning non-profit venue features technical amenities that rival any Broadway theater. Visit them at sieminskitheater.org to view their upcoming entertainment schedule, where any seat is the best seat in the house.




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