Written by Sarah Boslaugh Tuesday, 10 March 2009 04:35

March 14 & 15

J.D. Lawrence, known today as the "King of Dramedy," got into show business as a way to deal with a speech defect. As a child, he was teased because of his stutter; but he discovered that it would vanish if he invented a character in his mind and then became that character.

His system seems to be working, because although Mr. Lawrence still has a stutter in ordinary conversation, it vanishes when he is performing, whether on radio, television or the stage. And his inventive mind and hard work have carried him to success in several aspects of show business: he's sung with the Harlem Gospel singers and Robin S., written songs for Paula Abdul and Hall and Oates, and written and starred in the Off-Broadway play Color Blind. He also stars in an award-winning television program on the Gospel Channel, produces a radio show on WNYG (Long Island), and regularly tours the country in original dramatic presentations in which he plays multiple roles while also serving as the writer, director, composer and producer.

His current touring show, The Clean Up Woman, will be presented at the Fox Theatre this weekend. The story is an illustration of what can happen to those who forget that wise motherly advice, "Never let another woman sit on your bed and never let her clean your house." The story revolves around Terri Adams, a newlywed too busy with her anchorwoman job to tend to the housekeeping, who hires a cleaning woman whose ambitions turn out to extend beyond vacuuming rugs and emptying wastebaskets.

Besides Mr. Lawrence, the star-studded cast of The Clean Up Woman includes Telma Hopkins (Family Matters, The Hughleys, The Love Guru), Christopher Williams (New York Undercover, New Jack City), Jackée Harry (Sister, Sister, 227, Everybody Hates Chris), and George Wilborn (Family Reunion, Baisden After Dark, Love Relations). The show is only in town for a limited, two-night engagement, so don't miss it. | Sarah Boslaugh

The Clean Up Woman at the Fabulous Fox Theatre
March 14 (shows at 3 pm and 8 pm) and March 15 (shows at 3 pm and 7:30 pm)
Tickets are $28.50-$39.50, available online www.metrotix.com, or by phone at 314-534-1111 or 1-800-293-5949.