The one-woman show Zora at the American Theater of Actors aims to take audiences back to the Harlem Renaissance. Written by Laurence Holder and performed by Antonia Badon, the show recounts the life of Zora Neale Hurston, one of the greats of American but specifically African American literature. Detailing her early life in a quick whirlwind of conversations, Zora goes through her years at school, her anthropological work, her success as a writer, and her eventual decline in her career after a scandal and a decrease in her popularity.

Hurston lived an incredibly interesting life and was never afraid to speak her mind, so she makes for a wonderful subject for a one-woman show. Badon, directed by Greg Freelon, brings a good amount of spunk, strength, and frustration to her portrayal, as well as vulnerability. Very occasionally there were moments that somehow didn’t land, but there was true life and energy to Badon every moment she was on stage.

The flow of the show was not helped by the number of costume changes they had to pause for. During these moments there were wonderful projections of footage of NYC in the 1920s and 30s and lively jazz music to help keep the audience engaged and in the world of the show, but the sheer number of these interruptions and how long they needed to take slowed things down. Though it must be said – the costumes were fantastic, as were the props and set pieces that helped add detail and color to the story telling and setting.

Ultimately, Zora is a beautifully designed show with a very passionate performer at its core. It really attempts to dive into the life of a fascinating and important woman and the things that drove her. It has room the be cleaned up, but it has a good solid core to work with.