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Proclaiming “I love my job!” from her 1500-block-of-Fitzwater-Street abode, Cathy Simpson cherishes having chosen five decades ago to counter expectations of African-American women’s vocational pursuits. Through Saturday, the content and captivating performer will honor similarly fearless females by portraying Sojourner Truth and Abbey Lincoln in Plays & Players Theatre’s “Voices of a People’s History of the United States.”
“They represent commitment to community,” the 67-year-old said of the individuals, with the former having gained renown as an abolitionist and the latter as a jazz vocalist, songwriter and actress. “I’m trying to match my passion for life with their enthusiasm for social justice and social issues.”
The South of South inhabitant, with a handful of South Philly peers as castmates, is reveling in her roles, regarding them as figures who focused on forging belief in communal enhancement, especially Truth, who fought for literal and figurative freedom for women as a 19th-century opponent of slavery and inequality. Extremely fond of Philadelphia’s stage identity, Simpson contends her duties strive more for strengthening comprehension of compassion than they do for advancing theater.
“I’m thrilled that Plays & Players is presenting this,” she said of the Center City-situated entity’s offering, which bases its shows on Howard Zinn’s best-seller “A People’s History of the United States.” “I’m more excited that it can enlighten everyone a bit and have us all look at who are and what we want.”
With regards to her hunger, Simpson sees the show, which addresses more than 400 years of activism through immortals such as Helen Keller and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as helping to establish even more connections in her beloved city.
“Emotionally, there’s so much I love about being here,” the thespian said of sating her cravings for camaraderie and craft. “There’s a growing community that loves putting on great works. I’m going to be 68 soon, but being here helps me to think I’m still peaking.”
In searching for the summit, Simpson has become a reliable hire for area spaces, including the Malvern-situated People’s Light & Theatre Co., for whom she has served as a company member since 1994. Loving her immersion in an immensely creative metropolis, the actress, also renowned for inclusion in the Old City-based American Historical Theatre, aspires to continue to receive and provide inspiration, with a recent Barrymore Award nomination for her turn in Arden Theatre Co.’s “Three Sisters” assisting her aspirations.
“It feels great to grow,” Simpson, who won a supporting actress Barrymore commendation for 2001’s New Freedom Theatre staging of “The Old Settler,” said. “I’ve known so many people who have said they feel run down in their line of work. Last season, I took on a few too many jobs and doing so caused me to become sick, but I know how to proceed, and it’s still pretty evident that I absolutely adore what I’m doing.”
Simpson began adopting adoration for “the boards” as a St. Louis-situated teenager. Aware that black women did not often seek distinction as actors, she could not keep curiosity at bay and made a community theater performance in “A Raisin in the Sun.” Hailing from a long line of educators, she felt no pull toward teaching and auditioned for admittance into Carnegie Mellon University, using a Langston Hughes poem as her aide. Receiving a scholarship to the Pittsburgh-situated institution, she followed up her “A Raisin in the Sun” stint, the conclusion of which put her “off on a roll,” with more endeavors that sought to edify audiences.
“I’ll be blunt,” Simpson confessed. “I’ve always loved being the center of attention, and I love the sound of applause. I love touching crowds because of their emotional capabilities and expectations.”
Despite having awareness of patrons’ hopes, the performer lacked understanding of the depth of her talent. Relocating to Washington, D.C. in 1974, she spent the next decade deciding how to proceed, with her secretarial skills forming a tandem with her acting acumen to sustain her livelihood.
“Then, people began to call me for roles,” Simpson beamed, declaring the outreach as engendering feelings of nirvana. “Performing, for me, is like a pheromone, and for the last 30 years, really, I’ve found it so intoxicating.”
Having transformed her life once, Simpson, who during her initial breakout period focused mostly on performing in black-centric pieces, acquired fish-out-of-water status when joining People’s Light. Able to tackle works by heavyweights such as Eugene Ionesco and William Shakespeare, she declared herself in seventh heaven and felt added enthusiasm seeping into her preparation and execution.
“I’m humble no matter what comes my way because I feel so blessed to have had these opportunities,” Simpson, whose credits include assignments for Young Playwrights, Wilma Theater and InterAct Theatre and Philadelphia Theatre companies, said of reflecting on her journey from a confounded character to a commended presence. “When I look at everywhere I’ve lived, I can easily say that Philadelphia has double the opportunity and really offers me constant doses of perspective.”
She will accept her next fulfilling prescription from BrainSpunk Theater, for whom she will act in late May’s Kensington-situated “Final Arrangements,” commending Michelle T. Johnson’s script as “simplistic and fun.” The new work will offer her even more novelty, as Simpson beamed when noting she has just entered into a new relationship.
“I love all these possibilities,” Simpson said of the future as she listened to a few Lincoln songs. “I’ve put in my time as an actress, and I had doubts along the way, but the life is still invigorating.”
As Truth and Lincoln, she will look to convey that same sense of commitment to ideas and ideals and hopes their examples will continue to captivate people of color, surely, but also anyone who wants to ward off woe by inciting communal or personal growth.
“Don’t let anyone or anything stop you,” Simpson said. “Life’s too short to settle.” For tickets, call 866-811-4111, or visit playsandplayers.org.
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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