Zora Neale Hurston was an inspired, passionate artist.

As one of the leading black authors of the Harlem Renaissance, she was also an anthropologist, a complete nonconformist and the “life of the party”, wherever she went.

Gabrielle Denise Pina not only presents the multifaceted, gifted Zora, but makes her sound like a best friend/confidante, in her multimedia show, Letters From Zora, which begins a limited return engagement this Saturday, May 10th, at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Selecting letters from the prolific Zora’s actual correspondence, Gabrielle shows her as down-to-earth, warm, determined and humorous. Letters From Zora, which first premiered at USC, sold out all five of its performances at the Pasadena Playhouse in August of 2013, and will run from May 10th through May 18th.

Gabrielle, who is a temporary English instructor at PCC, talked about her inspiration for Letters From Zora, her experiences with creating the play and the lessons she and her students can take away from Zora’s life.