All About Deidrie Henry
Deidrie Henry stars as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill at The Armory, but her history with Portland Center Stage and former Artistic Director Chris Coleman go way back. From a degree in aeronautical science to first acting with Chris at the age of 16, learn more about this incredible artist and her fascinating career.
Deidrie and Chris
Deidrie has the distinction of performing in Chris’s opening (Closer in 2000) and closing seasons (Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill in 2018) as Artistic Director at Portland Center Stage at The Armory.
Chris first directed Deidrie when she was 16 years old in The Good Person of Szechwan by Bertolt Brecht (she played The Good Person) at The Georgia Governor’s Honors Program — a residential summer program for gifted and talented high school students.
Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire
In June 2016, Deidrie performed the famous role of Blanche in Tennessee William's A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Chris. The audience raved about her performance, one even said her performance was "the best Blanche I have ever seen."
A degree in aeronautical science
Are you ready for this? Deidrie has a degree in aeronautical science. In the early 1990s she trained as a pilot, but Eastern Airlines folded the year she graduated and the market was flooded with unemployed pilots. Deidrie says “the universe conspired” to get her back to the stage and that same year she acted alongside Chris in The Vision at Actor’s Express, founded in 1988 by Chris and Harold M. Leaver in Atlanta, Georgia.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Deidrie also performed at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival for four seasons, including the roles of Rosalind in As You Like It, Irina in Three Sisters, Susie in Wit, Ophelia in Hamlet and Vera Dotson in Seven Guitars, among others.
Dael Orlandersmith's Yellowman
She performed in Dael Orlandersmith's (Forever, 2016 and Until The Flood in our upcoming 2018-2019 season) Yellowman at Berkeley Repertory Theatre and then again at The Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. A runaway hit, it ran for eight months in Los Angeles and she was honored as Best Actress from the NAACP and received an Ovation Award, Backstage Garland Award and the Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle Award.
Popeyes
Since 2009, Deidrie has played the role of Annie, the official spokesperson for Popeyes, in television commercials. Her beloved character is credited for helping Popeyes discover its brand identity.
About Deidrie Henry
 | Los Angeles theater: A Raisin in the Sun and Parade at Center Theatre Group; Coming Home and Yellowman (Best Actress Awards from the NAACP, Ovation Award, Backstage Garland Award and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award) at The Fountain Theatre; Small Tragedy at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble. Regional theater: It Can't Happen Here and Yellowman at Berkeley Repertory Theatre; A Streetcar Named Desire and Closer at The Armory; American Night: The Ballad of Juan José at Yale Repertory Theater; Ballad of Emmett Till at Goodman Theatre; Oregon Shakespeare Festival for four seasons, appearing as Rosalind in As You Like It, Irina in Three Sisters, Susie in Wit, Ophelia in Hamlet, Vera Dotson in Seven Guitars, among others; Blues for an Alabama Sky (Helen Hays Award nomination) at the Alliance Theatre, Hartford Stage, Arena Stage and Huntington Theatre Company. Other awards: Bistro Award for Outstanding Vocalist and Cabaret Debut for her cabaret, What a Day for a Daydream (New York). Television: Game of Silence, The Riches, Criminal Minds, Justified, Glee and CSI. Film: Beyond the Lights and Beautiful Boy. |
Editors note: This article original stated that Deidrie Henry can fly commercial planes — she is a pilot, but not a commercial airline pilot. It also incorrectly stated that Deidrie has been filming three to four commercials with Popeyes since 2013 — she has been filming numerous commercials since 2009. We apologize for the errors. We do, however, stand by our original sentiment that Deidrie is an extraordinary human.
More about Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill:
Reviews of "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill"
"Packed with great music and featuring an incredible performance by Deidrie Henry as Billie Holiday, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill is an absolute must-see." - BroadwayWorld
Playwright Lanie Robertson on Finding the Voice to Make "Lady Day" Sing
Playwright Lanie Robertson talks about capturing Billie Holiday's voice for "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill."
Specialty Cocktails Inspired by "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill"
Bar Supervisor (and resident mixologist) Melissa Larrabee introduces the specialty cocktails in honor of our final show of the season, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.
A Force of Nature: Deidrie Henry on Becoming Billie Holiday
Deidrie Henry on the challenges, rewards and importance of becoming the iconic Lady Day.
"Lady Day" Cast and Creative Team
Meet the incredible cast and creative team behind Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill.
Photos: "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill"
See photos of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill coming to The Armory May 26-July 1, 2018.
Current & Upcoming
Art Exhibit: ¡Soy Yo! by Mika Martinez
¡Soy Yo!, is a multi-media project, created by Mika Martinez, that examines and celebrates Latinx identity featuring more than 50 portraits of the Hispanic/Latino community in Portland.
Piano Bar with Courtney Freed and David Saffert
Join us for this monthly event with local songstress Courtney Freed and Portland-based pianist David Saffert as they host a good old-fashioned PIANO BAR.
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
Whether you're looking to get more confident in social situations, think quicker on your feet, or get in touch with your imaginative side, these "one-off" improv classes will set you on the path to success!
Nassim
From Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour (creator of the Off-Broadway smash hit White Rabbit, Red Rabbit) comes an audacious new theatrical experiment, presented in collaboration with Boom Arts. Each night, a new, unrehearsed local performer joins the playwright on stage, while the script waits, unseen, in a sealed box... Touchingly autobiographical yet powerfully universal, NASSIM is a striking theatrical demonstration of how language can both divide and unite us.
Art Exhibit: Garam Garam Chai by Yusra Siddiqui
Portland Center Stage will host Garam Garam Chai, an art exhibit by Portland-based multidisciplinary artist Yusra Siddiqui, featuring a series of hand-sewn teabag printmaking pieces that serve as a contemplation of the communal tea times shared between Desi and British culture.
Coriolanus
Shakespeare’s tragedy about the war hero Coriolanus and the fight between the elite and the deprived masses will be fueled by a dynamic female and non-binary ensemble with a muscular, movement-focused staging.
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
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