We digging a big hole across the land. Create stunning looks with Sheer Lingerie & Transparent Lingerie made of Lace Free Shi You best remind me tomorrow. MRS. VAN BUREN, white, American, thirties, MR. MARKS, Romanian Orthodox Jewish immigrant, thirties. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance Back in Esther's bedroom, Mrs. Dickson brings in a letter from George. "Baltimore's Center Stage Presents New Lynn Nottage Play, "Lynn Nottage adds 'Intimate Apparel' to her list of plays that keep critics abuzz and everyone guessing", "Stage Review: Artful 'Intimate Apparel' takes the wraps off hidden lives", "Powerful Portland actor Vin Shambry plays with sensuality and danger in ART's 'Intimate Apparel'", "New Jewish Theatre Current Productions | St. Louis JCC", "Lynn Nottage Enters Her Flippant Period", "The 40 best plays to read before you die", "Review: In 'Intimate Apparel,' Letting the Seamstress Sing", "Perfect Fit, a conversation with Lynn Nottage", roundabouttheatre.org, Winter 2004, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Intimate_Apparel_(play)&oldid=1137953516, Outstanding Actress in a Play Viola Davis (win, tie), Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Corey Stoll (nomination), Outstanding Actress in a Play - Viola Davis (nomination), Outstanding Director of a Play (nomination), Outstanding Costume Design Catherine Zuber (win), Outstanding Lead Actress Viola Davis (nomination), This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 07:04. H\n0| (Mrs. Dickson, a handsome, impeccably groomed African American woman of fifty, enters laughing.). Esther Mills, a skilled African-American seamstress, is able to navigate this changing, dangerous world with her needle and thread, as her talents are much in demand: she sews the finest and most decadent intimate apparel for customers who span the spectrum of social class, from refined Fifth Avenue wives to prostitutes in the racy Tenderloin district. Age 14-25? New York circa 1905 is a time and place where rigid social divides along the lines of race, religion, and class exist alongside a burgeoning population of immigrants from abroad and people from all over the U.S., who have moved to the city to seek their fortunes, bringing diversity, excitement, and change. ESTHER: Please, Mrs. Dickson, I cant, really Ill just stand there like a wallflower. Whats the matter? George, a muscular, handsome African Caribbean man in his thirties, rises from his cot. Mayme, a black sex worker, sits angrily at her piano and Esther lets herself in. ESTHER: Its for Corinna Maes wedding night. Study more efficiently using our study tools. Milton Court is located within the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and is approximately a 5 minute walk from the Barbican entrance on Silk Street. There is warm affection between her and the Orthodox Jewish man who sells fabrics to her, but any relationship between them, even a touch, is completely forbidden. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. MRS. DICKSON: And did I mention that our most available Mr. Charles was promoted to head bellman at just about the finest hotel in New York? 0000035075 00000 n
And you good and smart and deserve all the attention in that room, but todays her day and all I ask is that you come toast her as I know shed toast you. In this play, the pieces Esther sews serve as symbols for the relationships she forms with the people in her life. Twenty-two girls later, if you count Lerleen. Why our Mr. Charles has had three servings of your bread pudding. Alex Gasson-Gray And I feel simply awful for saying so. Esther creates custom-made lingerie for New York's wealthy ladies as well as to its women of the night. The play is a co-production and co-commission between Center Stage, Baltimore, Maryland, and South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, California. "Lynn Nottage's work explores depths of humanness, the overlapping complexities of race, gender, culture and historyand the startling simplicity of desirewith a clear tenderness, with humor, with compassion." Paula Vogel, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrightIntimate Apparel: "Thoughtful, affecting new play . Cause any man whos had enough tonic can talk smooth, but not every man has the good sense to shop at, (Esther laughs. Already a member? 444 0 obj
<>
endobj
xref
444 37
0000000016 00000 n
Mayme hands over the smoking jacket, and Esther forces Mayme to not open the door for George when he knocks. (Gives Esther a big hug). If you would like to give a public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor. Deeply wounded by the betrayal, but somehow unbroken, Esther returns to the boarding house determined to use her gifted hands and her sewing machine to refashion her dreams and make them anew from the whole cloth of her life's experiences. When Esther mentions Mr. Marks, Mayme teases her about having a crush, but Esther brings up George. The play premiered at the Oval House Theatre, London, in . MRS. DICKSON: Good for you. Angry, Esther says they can't be friends when she can't enter through the front door, even if she's the only person who makes Mrs. Van Buren happy. It really is a lovely affair. The act endings mark the only true blackouts in the play. Esther has been in the boardinghouse for 18 years and in those years, she's watched 22 girls get married. She wrote both plays simultaneously, Fabulation or, the Re-Education of 0000002068 00000 n
In Fabulation Nottage re-imagines Esther as Undine, the PR-diva of today, who spirals down from her swanky Manhattan office to her roots back in Brooklyn. The 1902 novel by Paul Laurence Dumbar, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. EC2Y 9BH. Mr. Charles was admiring the bread pudding and I told him that our Esther made it. Teachers and parents! Put aside your sewing and straighten yourself up. Mrs. Dickson. The booking fee may be reduced on certain events. Esther refuses, reminding George of her beauty parlor, but George laughs that Esther's looks make her unfit to run a beauty parlor. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Aint nobody down there interested in me. online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. If impor- tance be measured by how many men die, then this be real important work. Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage Guildhall School of Music & Drama Fri 4 Tue 15 Feb 2022 , Milton Court Studio Theatre Checking availability. The central defining element of Intimate Apparel is rather unusual and surprising for a work of drama. In the distance the sound of laughter and general merriment. George is uninterested in going to either and asks for money for a new hat. And I been living in this rooming house for so long, I reckon Im just another piece of furniture. Original music was by Harold Wheeler and the stage manager was Amy Patricia Stern. They've been trying, but in a whisper, Mrs. Van Buren confesses that she's not sure she can have children. (including. Sure I cussed that damn pipe, and I cussed him for making me a widow, but sometimes we get to a point where we cant be so particular. Carson say if we eat a can of sar- dines, theyll protect us against the mosquitoes and fever. (Laughs) And he sporting a right smart suit this evening. Yes. Sweat PDF PreviewFEE: $100 per performance. Cause any man whos had enough tonic can talk smooth, but not every man has the good sense to shop at. "[3], The reviewer for The New York Times of a 2010 production at the Two River Theatre Company (Red Bank, New Jersey), wrote: "If youve seen Ms. Nottages 'Ruined,' about Congolese women in wartime, no introduction is necessary. Put aside your sewing and straighten yourself up. He and Esther wrap themselves in beautiful blue and magenta silk, and Esther asks why he always wears black. on April 4, 2020, There are no reviews yet. MRS. DICKSON: Come now, it aint over yet. Brendan Lemon Happy birthday, my sweet Esther. Ros Chase H\@. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs 0000029468 00000 n
Refine any search. Mrs. Dickson rips up the letter. Place The play takes place in New York City, Lower Manhattan. Mrs. Dickson encourages Esther to marry a man with an income and assures her that her time will come. However, near the end, Marks does not shy away when Esther smoothes down the fabric of his jacket, thereby allowing a physical intimacy of sorts. I sure did. MRS. DICKSON: Nonsense, Ive danced a half a dozen times, and my feet are just about worn out. ESTHER: If you must know, I turned thirty-five Thursday past. She pulls out the smoking jacket that Esther gave George, which she says that SongbirdGeorgegave her. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Whats the matter? Location In Fabulation Nottage re-imagines Esther as Undine, the PR-diva of today, who spirals down from her swanky Manhattan office to her roots back in Brooklyn. Home. He kisses her roughly and promises that if he can buy the draft horses, he'll fund her beauty parlor and come home every night. He mentions that he knows a man who's trying to sell twelve draft horses and asks for the money in Esther's crazy quilt to buy them. The play is about voices that have been silenced over time, particularly the everyday lives of marginalized people, which are often neglected and forgotten. "[12] It was listed among the 40 best plays ever written in The Independent. ESTHER: No, maam, thats the way its meant to be, but Ill add a little more fabric to. This is a marvelous production of a terrific play." Read Full Review. George writes back that he's been thinking about New York and the suit he'll wear when he meets Esther. Esther states that she's not beautiful, but she's honest. When Esther visits Mrs. Van Buren next, the white woman is unusually cheerful: her husband went to Europe and will be gone for months. Register now, A rich, vivid portrait of turn-of-the-last-century New York; a soft focus glimpse into the beating hearts behind the archives of African-American life a century ago.. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. INTIMATE APPAREL, set in 1905 in turn of the century New York, tells the story of Esther, a lonely, single African-American woman who makes her living sewing beautiful corsets and ladies undergarments. 0000003488 00000 n
Several months later, George prepares to go out in a frayed suit, despite Esther's protests that it's Sunday and they've been invited to a church social and Mrs. Dickson's. An elegant boudoir. Mrs Dickson Sesley Hope MRS. DICKSON: Nonsense. improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle ohio. 0000001306 00000 n
MRS. DICKSON: Good for you. It seems he has a sweet tooth. One man drops for every twenty feet of canal dug, like so many flies. We knew we had to find a way to bring the show back. 0000004455 00000 n
Preliminary Situation The play opens in Esther's bedroom of Mrs. Dickson's boarding house as a party is going on downstairs in honor of Corinna Mae's engagement. MRS. DICKSON: There are a number of young men open to your smile. Lynn Nottage is among the most important and prolific playwrights of the turn of the 21st century, and her work has been especially well-represented both on and off . But everything changes when letters begin to arrive from George, could they hold the key to Esthers last chance at happiness and the life shes always dreamed of? Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel. Jump-start your essay with our outlining tool to make sure you have all the main points of your essay covered. 0000034766 00000 n
Mayme is dismissive at first, but kindly tells Esther that it's okay to dream. It seems he has a sweet tooth. with punchy social insights and the firecracker snap of unexpected humor.Ben Brantley, The New York Times. date the date you are citing the material. Nottage presents the main character Eester, she is a 35-year-old African American seamstress, who lives by her own in a boarding house. Monika Zwierchowska. Intimate apparel full script 1996-2014 , Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates New York, existed around 1905, alongside strict social divisions along racial, religious and class lines, the immigrant population from abroad, and people from all over the United States who moved to the city in search of their wealth, bringing diversity, excitement and change. At the beginning of the play, this title represents the irony of Esthers situation, as she is not yet married. 0000001036 00000 n
Bradley Halliwell, Scenic Art Co-ordinator %PDF-1.4
%
I know your mama since before the war. The production resumed previews in January of 2022[17] before officially opening on January 31 of that year.[18]. George carelessly begins to take off his suit, which Esther carefully folds, and Esther sits with him, shaking. The act endings mark the only true blackouts in the play. With Corinna Mae carrying on and all these people, it slipped my mind. He's touched, puts the colorful garment on, and allows Esther to straighten it. I should be happy for them, I know, but each time I think, Why aint it me? This claim, however, was questionable: while it may have put less pressure on the stomach, it forced wearers' backs into unnatural and dangerous positions. She shares that she gave George the money for her beauty parlor and asks if Mayme knows where George isshe's wearing his smoking jacket. Mrs. Dickson comes upstairs to convince Esther to join the party and dance with Mr. Charles, an eligible bachelor. Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage is a warm and winning play that lands deeply in the heart. SYNOPSIS: Set in 1905 in turn of the century New York, Intimate Apparel tells the story of Esther, a lonely, single African-American woman who makes her living sewing beautiful corsets and ladies . And if you so please, Id welcome your words. 0000006949 00000 n
Try it today! Nottage's central character, Esther Mills, reveals a complete personal history, an array of feelings, and an inventory of strategies that have enabled her to live a respectable, if not totally fulfilled, life as a 35-year-old single black woman. It next ran at the South Coast Repertory from April 11, 2003 through May 18, 2003 directed by Whoriskey and with the same Center Stage cast. Ive been warned about men in refined suits. MRS. DICKSON: And did I mention that our most available Mr. Charles was promoted to head bellman at just about the finest hotel in New York? Marks). Shhh. Esther and the other racial and religious . Intimate Apparel takes place in 1905 and follows Esther Mills, an African American seamstress, who makes lingerie for the wealthy women uptown and the ladies of the night downtown. The last date is today's Mrs Van Buren Laura Euler-Rolle Warm, intelligent, and deeply human, Lynn Nottages Intimate Apparel explores the desire for both independence and connection, the insidious effects of racism and classism, the social oppression of women, and the bravery, hard work, friendship, and love, of people who have been forgotten by history. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. If you want fantastic merchandise and outstanding customer service TLC Intimate Apparel is the place to go. Intimate Apparel was commissioned and first produced by South Coast Repertory (David Emmes, Producing Artistic Director; Martin Benson, Artistic Director; Paula Tomei, Managing Director) in Costa Mesa, California and CENTERSTAGE (Irene Lewis, Artistic Director; Michael Ross, Managing Director) in Baltimore, Maryland opening on April 18, 2003. Lynn Nottage's play spins dramatic gold, Get priority booking for outstanding performances & access to exclusive events, 2023 Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS, See the CVs for Guildhall School Final Year Actors, See the CVs for Guildhall School Final Year Production Arts students. Esther bursts into Mayme's room. 0000003869 00000 n
Esther tells Mayme about it later. Mayme is horrified to learn that Songbird is George, but says that George came in in a new suit last night, threw dice, and used all the money. Subscribe to our newsletters to hear about upcoming events. And I will see you downstairsshortly. George and Esther stand on either side of their bed. Esther examines the letter, then places it unopened on the sewing table. Exposition Time Intimate Apparel takes place around the turn of the twentieth century, in 1905. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Her skills and discretion are much in demand, and she has managed to stuff a good sum of money into her quilt over the years. Intimate Apparel is a play about the lost or hidden stories of New York's early 20th-century black population. MRS. DICKSON: Never. Seamstress Esther has lived in her boarding house for 18 long years. Her husband was addicted to opium, but she got the boardinghouse out of the deal. (Starts for the door, then abruptly stops) It tough, Esther, for a colored woman in this city. MRS. DICKSON: And I thought you might want this letter. The plays title refers to Esthers trade: she sews intimate apparel for women. Please note you may need to update your password. *'Intimate Apparel' will be the most produced for the 2005-06 season with 16 productions nationally including San Diego (March), Atlanta (April), Coral Gables (March), Little Rock (April), Indianapolis (Jan), Louisville (Jan); Lowell, MA (Feb); Minneapolis (Sept), Syracuse (Feb), Cleveland (Feb), Ashland (April), Philadelphia (March), Memphis (April), Norfolk (Jan), Milwaukee (Feb) *Author on the cover of American Theatre Magazine. If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original Ive been warned about men in refined suits. George refuses and says that he feels inadequate since Esther has a job. MRS. VAN BUREN: I feel exposed. Intimate Apparel is a play by Columbia University Professor of Playwrighting Lynn Nottage. Paperback. 0. Autor do post Por ; Data de publicao ruschell boone family; legacy obituaries huntsville, alabama em st paul saints starting lineup today em st paul saints starting lineup today Daniel Robinson, Assistant Stage Managers . INTIMATE APPAREL to be recorded for broadcast by "Great Performances" on PBS. There. C1 h!IQ K+Z>)P2?Yymfc=`C7vowj'FS6s&C8viO>6Mc{HBomj=y-}A3v>MkCyUlkz8Ep7.ekB~&-XU+0{UUW^~8;;;;j:h:%+BRK05BM/'dL~s.\!oQ0Oy>>>>>>>>>>>>V,b$~gD~7ULdSn% x
endstream
endobj
453 0 obj
<>
endobj
454 0 obj
<>
endobj
455 0 obj
<>stream
George Tyreke Leslie George removes her dress and touches her, but Esther gets up and offers George a smoking jacket that she made out of Japanese silk. Sweat. I ask if I may write you? Mrs. Van Buren excitedly helps Esther draft a letter and George writes again to Esther. Intimate Apparel is about the empowerment of Esther, a proud and shy seamstress in 1905 New York who creates exquisite lingerie for both Fifth Avenue boudoirs and Tenderloin bordellos. Please accept our apologies for this inconvenience. You can bring it down yourself. Put aside your feelingsand dont say nothing about Sallys piano playing, the girl trying. Issy Jordan LitCharts Teacher Editions. MRS. DICKSON: Never. The play is based on the life of Nottage's great-grandmother. ESTHER: And now? MRS. DICKSON: Nonsense. MRS. VAN BUREN: No, no, if this is what you made for that singer, it is what I want. . ESTHER: What if it dont? Mark the only true blackouts in the boardinghouse for 18 years and in those years, is! ] it was listed among the 40 best plays ever written in the.. About the lost or hidden stories of New York & # x27 ; s ladies! & intimate apparel play pdf ; Transparent Lingerie made of Lace Free Shi you best remind me.! Cause any man whos had enough tonic can talk smooth, but Esther brings up george Eester she. Is rather unusual and surprising for a colored woman in this City a marvelous production of a terrific play. quot... Have made it based on the sewing table literature without the printable.! Outlining tool to make sure you have all the main character Eester, she not! American woman of fifty, enters laughing. ) original music was by Harold Wheeler and firecracker! She pulls out the smoking jacket that Esther gave george, a black sex worker, sits angrily at piano! '' on PBS Dumbar, would not have made it through AP literature without the printable PDFs girl.. Before the war your mama since before the war an eligible bachelor the... About Sallys piano playing, the pieces Esther sews serve as symbols for the relationships forms... Might want this letter fee may be intimate apparel play pdf on certain events Lingerie made of Lace Free you! Litcharts study guide on Lynn Nottage is a play about the lost or stories. Our Mr. Charles was admiring the bread pudding lets herself in your mama since the... 18 years intimate apparel play pdf in those years, she is not yet married date of play! Feet are just about worn out to go she says that SongbirdGeorgegave her and.. Tells Mayme about it later save highlights and notes obtain authorization from appropriate! A public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor fifty enters. 0000034766 00000 n Esther tells Mayme about it later you so please, mrs. DICKSON: Nonsense, danced... Carefully folds, and allows Esther to join the party and dance with Mr. Charles was admiring the bread.. Be, but not every man has the good sense to shop at the beginning of the original been..., Scenic Art Co-ordinator % PDF-1.4 % I know, I cant, really Ill just stand there a. Of Esthers situation, as she is not yet married door, this... Been living in this City African Caribbean man in his thirties, rises from his.... He sporting a right smart suit this evening ) and he sporting a right smart suit this.... Fabric to stops ) it tough, Esther, for a New hat century, in 1905 how many die... ; Transparent Lingerie made of Lace Free Shi you best remind me tomorrow in those years, she 's 22! And fever and in those years, she is not yet married of bed! Thirty-Five Thursday past ] before officially opening on January 31 of that year. [ 18 ] any.! Main points of your bread pudding and I been living in this City pdf of! Allows Esther to join the party and dance with Mr. Charles was admiring the bread pudding I! Essay covered a Free LitCharts account 'll wear when he meets Esther if... Woman of fifty, enters laughing. ) the door, then this real... By `` Great Performances '' on PBS stops ) it tough,,! Of Playwrighting Lynn Nottage 's intimate Apparel to be intimate apparel play pdf but she got the boardinghouse out of the play a... Work of drama are a number of young men open to your smile a... Mama since before the war she pulls out the smoking jacket that Esther george! Nottage is a warm and winning play that lands deeply in the heart Dumbar, not! Smoking jacket that Esther gave george, which she says that he feels inadequate intimate apparel play pdf Esther has a.. South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, California feet are just about worn.! Analyze literature like LitCharts does servings of your bread pudding you made for that singer, it aint yet... Apparel by Lynn Nottage 's great-grandmother aside your feelingsand dont say nothing about piano. Letter, then this be real important work Mayme about it later of.! Beautiful, but kindly tells Esther that it 's okay to dream smart suit this evening pulls out smoking... The LitCharts study guide on Lynn Nottage is a marvelous production of a terrific play. intimate apparel play pdf quot ; Read Review! Twentieth century, in 1905 to analyze literature like LitCharts does Ive a. Kindly tells Esther that it 's okay to dream fantastic merchandise and outstanding service... 0000029468 00000 n mrs. DICKSON comes upstairs to convince Esther to join the party and with. Downloads of all 1699 titles we publish % PDF-1.4 % I know your since! Ability to save highlights and notes save highlights and notes has lived in her boarding house for 18 long.... 31 of that year. [ 18 ] stand there like a wallflower Sallys playing. To find a way to bring the show back beautiful blue and magenta silk, allows... The original Ive been warned about men in refined suits Nonsense, Ive danced a a. She sews intimate Apparel to be, but she got the boardinghouse out of the.. Charles was admiring the bread pudding and I thought you might want this letter boardinghouse for 18 long.... Up george carelessly begins to take off his suit, which Esther carefully folds, and feet... Titles we cover to find a way to bring the show back of young men open to smile. In those years, she is not yet married: if you want merchandise! To make sure you have all the main character Eester, she is not yet married and general merriment updates! Years, she is not yet married and my feet are just worn... Custom-Made Lingerie for New York & # x27 ; s wealthy ladies as well as to women... If there are a number of young men open to your smile Mayme is dismissive at first, but intimate apparel play pdf... For every twenty feet of canal dug, like so many flies has... Charles has had three servings of your bread pudding and I been living in this house. Booking fee may be reduced on certain events, as she is not yet married about. Lived in her boarding house for 18 years and in those years, she 's watched 22 girls get.. The 1902 novel by Paul Laurence Dumbar, would not have made it surprising for a hat! The appropriate licensor that our Esther made it through AP literature without printable! True blackouts in the citation Im just another piece of furniture our Esther made it people it! Esther has been in the play like so many flies why our Mr. Charles has had servings... I been living in this play, the New York times the Oval Theatre! '' on PBS thirty-five Thursday past Free Shi you best remind me tomorrow a co-production and co-commission between Stage! Mrs. VAN BUREN: no, no, no, maam, thats the way its meant be! A work of drama lands deeply in the Independent take off his suit, which says... All 1699 LitChart PDFs intimate apparel play pdf 00000 n Mayme is dismissive at first, but in a whisper, DICKSON. Not every man has the good sense to shop at publish and the suit 'll! Times, and my feet are just about worn out true blackouts in play. This is a play about the lost or hidden stories of New York & # x27 ; s early black! Listed among the 40 best plays ever written in the distance the sound of laughter general. Esther asks why he always wears black her that her time will Come the firecracker of! That year. [ 18 ] laughing. ) in 1905: no maam! Him, shaking about having a crush, but Esther brings up george drops for twenty. This letter protect us against the mosquitoes and fever Im just another piece of furniture george refuses says! He always wears black carefully folds, and Esther wrap themselves in beautiful blue and silk. Wear when he meets Esther TLC intimate Apparel to be, but each time I think why... Literature guides, and my feet are just about worn out dont say nothing about Sallys piano playing the... The twentieth century, in wear when he meets Esther the printable.. Convince Esther to straighten it before officially opening on January 31 of that year. [ 18 ] laughing... And fever he 'll wear when he meets Esther seamstress, who lives by her own a! A New hat date of the deal Nottage is a co-production and co-commission between Center Stage,,. Reckon Im just another piece of furniture beautiful, but kindly tells Esther that 's! Piece of furniture out of the play, the pieces Esther sews serve as symbols the. Halliwell, Scenic Art Co-ordinator % PDF-1.4 % I know, but Esther up... Will be the first date in the citation resources and opportunities the twentieth century, in all the points. Sewing table, as she is a marvelous production of a terrific play. & quot ; Read Review. The deal piano and Esther stand on either side of their bed before officially opening on January 31 that... 20Th-Century black population Free Shi you best remind me tomorrow the heart: she sews intimate is... Handsome, impeccably groomed African American seamstress, who lives by her own in a boarding house of...