By Lynn Nottage
Directed by Fred Goodson
The Levin Stage

June 15 – July 15, 2007

When playwright Nottage was browsing through a tome on the history of lingerie, she spotted a photo of a beautifully sewn wedding corset.  This inspired her to create the character of Esther Mills, a 35-year old African American seamstress living in 1905 New York City.  Her clientele range from society women to prostitutes, and she quickly becomes entangled in their private lives.  Nottage weaves many remarkable characters together, creating a play that challenges the racial and sexual taboos of the age.