HOUSTON FORWARD TIMES — Jones’ re-imagining of the play centers the queen squarely, instead of the wars and machinations of the Roman triumvirate. It portrays Cleopatra as a multifaceted character: a regal queen, a cunning strategist, a devoted partner and mother. It takes place inside the Deluxe Theater, which opened in 1941 on Lyons Avenue, in the heart of Houston’s Fifth Ward. And it stars Jones, a Black actress, in the title role — something that was important to Jones herself. “I wanted to make sure that we connected Cleopatra to a Black woman,” she said, explaining her use of African and Egyptian costumes and set pieces. “I wanted it all to be uniquely Black.”
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