Eartha Kitt is subject of Urbanite's first musical

SARASOTA — Urbanite Returns May 29 with playwright and performer Jade Wheeler's Who is Eartha Mae?, the first musical produced by the black box theater since it opened in 2015.

Kitt was an American singer, songwriter, and actress, best known for her distinctive singing style and her 1953 recordings of "C'est si bon" and the Christmas novelty song "Santa Baby". Kitt also starred as Catwoman in the third and final season of the television series Batman in 1967.

The sharp-witted, glamorous, incomparable Eartha Kitt commands the spotlight. But backstage in her dressing room, in the quiet between songs, she peels back the glitz to reveal Eartha Mae: a girl from the South Carolina cotton fields, orphaned by her mother until an audience adopted her.

Who is Eartha Mae? brings to life a powerful woman in search of happiness and the roots she never forgets. Told through both story and song, the production unearths the complex truth behind the icon: "I'm a dirt person. I trust the dirt. I don't trust diamonds and gold."

Wheeler is an award-winning actor, audiobook narrator, and voice-over artist. A graduate of George Mason University, she has been performing professionally since 2006. She currently resides in Belgium with her partner and two kids.

Who is Eartha Mae? runs through June 21. Visit the Urbanite website for schedule and ticket information.