Says director Presila Quinby: “Like a map of this country's hardships for minorities, Etta's life had the ups and downs of a mountain range or a rollercoaster. Given her beginnings, she couldn’t have avoided the drugs and riotous life of a black performer of those times. Rather, Etta embraced them. She rode the rollercoaster to its conclusion. Etta got clean several times only to succumb again, something reflected in photographs by her weight gains. But she kept trying. And through it all, there was that voice, grabbing the listener as if pulling both the listener and the singer alike to unimaginable heights.”

Biographies

Charles Cherry ~ Writer

Charles Cherry is a director, actor and writer living in Talent. He wrote the Spotlights on Dinah Shore, Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, Julie London, Torch Songs, Mel Torme' and The Blues. Cherry directed “Fahrenheit 451” and “1984” and has appeared in “The Miracle Worker,” “1776,” “The Beard of Avon,” “Man of LaMancha,” “Brigadoon” and “Rags.”

Brian "Buzz" Fraser ~ Narrator/Vocals

Brian Fraser has performed in the Rogue Valley for the last 30+ years in a variety of venues and theatres, including Actor’s Theatre, Ashland New Plays Festival, Ashland Resident Theatre, Camelot Theatre, The Coyote Project, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, OSW New Playwrights, Peter Britt Music Festival, SOU and others. He was last seen at Camelot as Colonel Jessup in “A Few Good Men.”

Presila Quinby ~ Director

The resident director of the Spotlight Series at Camelot, Presila Quinby has been seen onstage at Camelot in “1776,” “Spotlight on Mary Martin,” “Steel Magnolias,” “Dancing at Lughnasa,” “Sockdology,” “Inherit the Wind,” “I Remember Mama,” “Always… Patsy Cline,” “Crimes of the Heart” and “Sweeney Todd.” She has appeared on Broadway, regional theater productions across the country and at the Cabaret Theater and ACT in Ashland.

Michael Vannice ~ Arranger/MD/Organ

Michael toured and recorded with Robert Cray and Lowell Fulson, played with Anthony Braxton, Lauren Newton, Bud Shank, The Temptations and the Four Tops and collaborated on songs that were recorded by Cray, Eric Clapton and Albert King. He has performed in previous Camelot Theatre spotlights, the Oregon Cabaret Theatre and the OSF Green Show.

Jade Chavis Watt ~ Etta James

Jade Chavis Watt didn’t start singing till her mid 20’s and hasn’t stopped since. She sang in Spotlights on Hoagy Carmichael, The Blue Diva’s and Nat King Cole. Watt has also sung in several Green Show Concerts at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival with the Rogue Valley Gospel Group. She was the Marine Corps advisor for Camelot’s production of “A Few Good Men” and has appeared on the Camelot stage as Emma and Mrs. O’Malley in “Funny Girl,” Felicia in “I Hate Hamlet” and Mrs. Muller in “Doubt: A Parable.”