When she first encountered “Their Eyes Were Watching God” in the 1990s, Ann C. Perry had no idea the novel would quietly shape the next two decades of her life. At the time, Perry was in her 20s and living in Chicago. Like many readers of her generation, she had never been formally introduced to Zora Neale Hurston through school.
A supervisor, who had been assigned the book for a graduate course, passed it along to Perry, who placed it on a shelf, where it sat for nearly a year before curiosity, and trust of her leader, led her to open it.
“I was immediately intrigued,” Perry said. “I started researching her, going to festivals and learning everything I could.”
That curiosity evolved into a lingering creative question for Perry: What story am I meant to tell about her?
The answer eventually became “Live Rich, Die Poor: Zora’s Awakening,” Perry’s one-woman theatrical production exploring Hurston’s life, worldview and creative independence. The show first debuted in Memphis in 2017 and has steadily grown in scope, recognition and ambition.
Now in her 50s, Perry describes the production as both a labor of love and a pivotal moment for her. “Writing this story has been instrumental to my growth as a woman,” she said. “Zora’s life really challenged me.”
Although Perry earned a theatre degree from University of Tennessee Chattanooga and has worked in the field for decades, she had never created a one-person show before this project. The idea crystallized after she met Phil Darius Wallace, who was already producing solo performances in Memphis. When the storyline finally came to her, she started writing and he directed the first iteration.
“I didn’t know what I really had,” Perry said. “I just put it out there, and people responded.”
The inaugural version was sparse; a table, chairs and no major props, but audience reactions affirmed the power of the material. Over time, Perry refined the script, added and removed scenes, and worked with another director to shape the production into a more fully realized theatrical experience, which is what audience members will behold at its debut at the Halloran Centre, Jan. 30.
The production has earned accolades along the way, including the 2023 Ostrander Award for Best Original Script at the Memphis Theatre Awards. Still, Perry says the mission remains ongoing.
“I still meet people who don’t know who Zora Neale Hurston is,” she said. “That tells me the work isn’t done.”
Perry is intentional in how she presents Hurston. Rather than focusing on tragedy, she emphasizes Hurston’s confidence, humor and refusal to conform. Raised in the insulated town of Eatonville, Florida, one of the first incorporated Black towns in the U.S., Hurston did not grow up with a sense of inferiority, a background that deeply influenced her writing.
“She believed country Black folks were worthy of literature,” Perry said. “Through Hurston’s eyes, they were brilliant, funny and full of great stories.”
That stance drew criticism from some contemporaries, including Richard Wright, who argued that Black writers should focus more explicitly on racial oppression. Hurston resisted, choosing instead to chronicle everyday Black life with linguistic richness, metaphors and humor.
Perry sees parallels between Hurston’s independence and her own artistic journey. During years when traditional theatre schedules competed with raising a family, Perry chose to create opportunity rather than wait for it.
“I did this to empower myself,” she said. “Not to be a damsel in distress. I wanted to create something that could sustain me and inspire others, especially my children.”
This project has also opened doors to new work. Perry is currently writing the Orpheum’s next Neighborhood Play, centered on Soulsville, and collecting stories she believes are at risk of being lost on younger generations. “There’s something special about these stories, and I want to be part of telling them,” she said.
That same zeal led to the creation of “Zora the Brave”, a children’s production developed after the Halloran Centre requested a youth-focused companion piece. Written for third-grade audiences, the play introduces a young Zora grappling with identity and self-belief.
Both “Live Rich, Die Poor” and “Zora the Brave” will travel to Miami in February, with “Zora the Brave” set to be performed at the Adrienne Arsht Center on February 7. Perry will not perform in the children’s show, which features actresses Sequita Monique and Marissa C. Gilliam, but she views it as part of the same mission.
“If nothing else, Zora’s life should inspire you to take matters into your own hands,” Perry said.
Producing independently has required faith, sacrifice and community support, from donated rehearsal space at Cossitt Library, to consistent networking.
“I rely on my village … the people who believe this kind of art should exist and are magnetized by it,” she said.
For Perry, the overarching message shared in this production is deeply personal.
“I’m an example of reinvention,” she said. “Of not giving up on a dream. And that’s something I learned from Zora.”
Want to learn more about Zora Neale Hurston and see Perry in action? “Live Rich, Die Poor: Zora’s Awakening” will run for one night only at the Halloran Centre, 225 S. Main St., on Friday, Jan. 30.
Tickets are available at orpheum-memphis.com.
For more information, visit liverichdiepoor.org.
