Peggy Pettitt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peggy Pettitt
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Pettitt, 2013.
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| Born | February 8, 1950 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
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| Years active | 1969–present |
| Known for | Billie Jean – Black Girl |
| Spouse(s) |
Rémy Tissier
(m. invalid year) |
Peggy Pettitt (born February 8, 1950) is a talented American actress, dancer, teacher, and storyteller. She is also a playwright, meaning she writes plays. Peggy Pettitt is most famous for playing the character Billie Jean in the 1972 movie Black Girl. In this family drama, she acted alongside stars like Brock Peters and Claudia McNeil. Peggy Pettitt grew up in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Peggy Pettitt: Playwright and Storyteller
Peggy Pettitt is well-known for her special way of performing alone on stage. She uses a style of storytelling that comes from African-American traditions. She created this style to play many different characters. These characters help tell the rich history of African American men and women. They also share "stories about important issues of our time."
Original Plays and Themes
Working with director Rémy Tissier, Peggy Pettitt has created more than 10 full-length plays. These plays explore important topics like family problems, differences between generations, and the Civil Rights Movement. They also discuss identity and the worldwide HIV/AIDS crisis. Some of her plays include Women Preachers, Caught Between the Devil and The Deep Blue Sea, and Wild Steps.
One of her plays, The Spirit Factor, came from her time as a Fulbright Fellow in Senegal from 2000 to 2001. This play is based on the history and storytelling art of West Africa. Another play, Voyage, was shown at a festival in Avignon, France, in 2010. It looks at American history through blues music and spiritual songs. These traditions began in West Africa and traveled along the Mississippi River.
Peggy Pettitt has shared her work at international festivals, like the Les Rencontres du Bout des Mondes International Festival in French Guiana in 2011. Besides her Fulbright Fellowship, she has received many other awards. These include grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. She is also the founder of Pearls of Wisdom, a storytelling group for Elders Share the Arts in New York City. In 2007, she and Pearls of Wisdom were honored in City Lore's People's Hall of Fame.
Peggy Pettitt: Actress
In 1972, Peggy Pettitt starred in Black Girl, which was her first major movie. This film was made during a time when many movies about Black characters, called Blaxploitation films, were popular. Peggy Pettitt was nominated for Best Actress by the NAACP for her role in Black Girl. The movie was written by J.E. Franklin and directed by Ossie Davis.
Another important role she played was Miss Lindsey in the play Mule Bone. This historical comedy was written by famous authors Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. She performed this play at Lincoln Center.
Peggy Pettitt: Teacher
Peggy Pettitt is also an experienced teacher. She leads workshops on directing and storytelling. She teaches people a step-by-step way to create, write, and perform their own stories. She works with many different groups and organizations. She has helped many people share their original stories as theater or storytelling performances.
She also works with drama therapists, social workers, and teachers in public schools. Peggy Pettitt has taught at many schools and educational places in the U.S. and other countries. Her teaching experience includes working in homeless shelters, prisons, and drug treatment centers. She also teaches at hospitals for veterans and centers for seniors and teenagers. She has a lot of experience working with people who have emotional or physical disabilities and their families. Currently, she teaches a class called "self-scripting" at New York University's Experimental Theatre Wing.
Peggy Pettitt: Early Life and Personal Life
In 1974, Peggy Pettitt earned her college degree from Antioch College. After that, she moved to London on a special scholarship called the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. Today, Peggy Pettitt lives in New York City. She has been married to Rémy Tissier, who is a writer, director, and painter, since 1982.
Awards and Honors
- 2008, She was a story gatherer for "Another River Flows," which won the Pennsylvania Human Relation Award.
- 2010, Her play Voyage was shown at the Avignon Off Festival in France.
- She was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for her role in Black Girl.
- 2007, Peggy Pettitt and the Pearls of Wisdom group were added to New York City Lore's People's Hall of Fame.
- She received New York City's Arts In Education Roundtable Award for her lasting achievements in theater.
- She was honored by several senior centers for her "Commitment to the art of storytelling that transforms lives and communities."
- 2011, She received the Shining Star Award from the founders and board pioneers of Performance Space 122.
In Books
Peggy Pettitt's work and life have been featured in several books:
- Out of Character, by Mark Russell, 1997
- Performing Democracy, by Susan Chandler Haedicke, 2004
- Mapping Memories, by Pam Schweitzer, 2004
- Local Acts, An International Anthology, by Jan Cohen Cruz, 2005
- Ensemble Works, An Anthology, by Ferdinand Lewis, 2005
- Reminiscence Theatre: Making Theatre from Memory, by Pam Schweitzer, 2007
- Forget Memory: Creating Better Lives For People With Dementia, by Ann Basting, 2009.
