'Buckingham' Premieres Friday in Southampton

Did you know Britain had a black queen? The king himself didn’t even know until their wedding night, according to a new play written and directed by Tina Andrews that is having its East Coast premiere at the Southampton Cultural Center Friday.        

“Buckingham,” starring Seth Hendricks as King George III and Parisa Fitz-Henley as Queen Charlotte Sophia, is based on Andrews’ historical fiction book, “Charlotte Sophia: Myth, Madness and the Moor.”  

The story goes that Sophia who was forced to hide her Moorish features and skin tone under heavy white Elizabethan make-up before her arranged marriage to "mad" King George III, according to the Cultural Center, and the play dramatizes the intrigue and scandal.  

The cast also includes Matthew F. O'Conner, Vay David, Alexandra Cohen-Spiegler, Adam Fronc, Thandiwe Thomas De Shazor, Neyssan Falahi, Tony D'Alessio and Ingrid Griffith. 
 
There is a preview night Thursday at 8 p.m. and the official opening night is Friday at 7 p.m., which will be followed by a reception and talkbalk with Andrews.  

Further showdates are May 4 at 8 p.m., May 5 at 2:30 p.m., May 10 and May 11 at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.  

Tickets are $22 for general admission and $12 for students younger than 21 with ID. For groups of 10 or more, tickets are $18. Tickets are available at www.scc-arts.org or at the door 40 minutes prior to curtain time.            

Those who are among the first 100 online ticket orders will receive a free copy of Andrews’ book “Charlotte Sophia: Myth, Madness and the Moor.”