ArtsCentric's Production of "Crowns"

ArtsCentric’s production of “Crowns” brings Regina Taylor’s musical celebration of African American women and the tradition of elaborate church hats to the Bernard Family Theatre at Olney Theatre Center. The story follows Yolanda, a young woman from Brooklyn who travels to the American South to stay with family and encounters a world of traditions she initially doubts. Through music and movement, the play reveals the stories of the women beneath their “crowns,” showing how these hats carry generations of memory and become a healing heritage for Yolanda as she comes to terms with her own trauma.

The production is part of Olney Theatre Center’s 2026-27 season and is presented as an ArtsCentric Production. It celebrates Black women in the American South across decades, from ordinary Sunday mornings to weddings, funerals, and festive holiday services, with each hat marking a particular occasion and a particular chapter of life.

When: January 28 through March 7, 2027.

Venue: Bernard Family Theatre at Olney Theatre Center.

Tickets: Price not listed on the page; the event page offers a “Purchase with Membership” option.

Premise: Generations of Black women in the American South have worn a distinctive hat for every significant occasion. When Yolanda arrives in the South from Brooklyn to stay with family, she approaches these traditions with skepticism. Yet as the women’s stories unfold through music and movement, the “crowns” and the heritage they carry become a source of strength and healing for Yolanda.

Written by: Regina Taylor.

Adapted from: The book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry.

Directed by: Kevin S. McAllister.

Music Direction: Cedric D. Lyles.

Choreography: Shalyce Hemby.

Run time: Not specified on the page.

Showtimes: Specific performance times are not listed on the page.

Ages: Not specified on the page.

Accessibility: Not detailed on the page.

Box Office: 301.924.3400, open Wednesday through Sunday from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Note: This production is part of the 2026-27 season at Olney Theatre Center.