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A ONE WOMAN MUSICAL SHOW
STARRING & WRITTEN BY CAMILLA BEEPUT

‘Considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, Lena Horne was an electrifying performer who shattered racial boundaries by changing the way Hollywood presented black women.’ -  The Washington Post.

From 1920s Harlem to the golden age of Hollywood, through WWII to the Civil Rights movement, Stormy celebrates the life and work of one of the most significant African-American figures in 20th century entertainment: Lena Horne.

Developed with Olivier award winner Clarke Peters (5 Guys Named Mo), Stormy spans Horne’s 60 years in show business: as singer, dancer, movie star, activist and the first black actor to break the Hollywood stereotype, her struggle blacklisting by an industry unwilling to fully recognise her undeniable talent, and ends with her 1981 Tony Award winning one-woman Broadway show triumph.

The live five-piece band immerses us in the thrill of a jazz club with an entirely original score with songs that evoke the eras of Horne’s long career: blues, jazz, swing, soul but also rap and, of course, the iconic hit Stormy Weather. The Grotowskian style of minimal set relies on the story, actor’s skill and audience’s imagination as, alone on a bare stage, 'Lena' narrates her life directly to the audience. Playing out dramatic vignettes, Beeput transforms with physical brio into characters from Horne’s past, from Cab Calloway to Ava Gardner, to tell the untold story of Hollywood’s most unknown superstar.

Written by Beeput to address the need for more female writers and roles for women which both celebrate diversity and look beyond it, Stormy brings the Lena Horne story to a new generation, reminding us that many of the struggles she faced are still relevant - and inspiring us with an extraordinary example of fortitude, idealism and poise.