The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Chattanooga Chapter will be hosting film, television and Broadway veteran Sheryl Lee Ralph as she performs her one woman play, Sometimes I Cry. The event will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday Aug. 21, at the Chattanooga Trade and Convention Center.

Review for Sheryl Lee Ralph:
Ms. Ralph’s original claim to fame came with the role of Deena Jones on Broadway in the landmark musical Dreamgirls, which earned her both a Tony and Drama Desk Award Nomination for Best Actress.

After Dreamgirls, Ms. Ralph turned her attention to music, television and film. Her TV credits include It’s a Living, her own series New Attitude, the George Foreman series George and in the hit comedy Designing Women. She was also voted one of TV's favorite moms for her portrayal of step mom “Dee” on the number-one rated television series Moesha. Recently, Sheryl brought a new face to the sufferings of war in the NBC hit series ER.

Her extensive film credits include Sister Act II with Whoopi Goldberg, The Flintstones with Rosie O'Donell, The Mighty Quinn with Denzel Washington, Mistress with Robert De Niro, and Eddie Murphy's Distinguished Gentleman. Sheryl Lee's performance with Danny Glover in To Sleep with Anger won her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Sheryl Lee has found new success in writing, directing and performing her award-winning one-woman show Sometimes I Cry. This complex and thought-provoking play, illustrates the heartbreaking, yet inspiring real life stories of culturally diverse women whose lives unravel as they cope with their HIV/AIDS reality. Ralph uses her remarkable talent to poignantly bring these women to life in a way that touches the heart leaving audiences deeply moved. Met with an extraordinary outpouring of love and acceptance after its initial performance at the National Black Women and HIV/AIDS Conference in Los Angeles in 2005, Sometimes I Cry, continues to be performed in the U.S. and abroad.

“We are extremely excited to host this event and to bring a performer of Ms. Ralph’s caliber to the Chattanooga area,” states Gloria McKeldin, president of the Chattanooga Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. “HIV/AIDS awareness is one of the many national initiatives of NCBW. The presentation of Ms. Ralph’s Sometimes I Cry provides an excellent opportunity for us to support that initiative in our local community.”

Tickets for the Sometimes I Cry are $35 and can be purchased from any member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women or by calling 698-0029. Proceeds from the event go towards the Chattanooga Chapter’s Reach for the Stars Scholarship Fund which presents scholarships annually to college bound students in the Chattanooga area.

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Chattanooga Chapter is an organization that advocates enhanced quality of life for individuals and families of color by facilitating programs that address their needs and unites the public and private sector of Chattanooga to ensure the progress of women of color. While establishing a sisterly bond, these programs foster leadership, educational opportunities, economic partnerships, women’s health issues and political strength.