By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
For decades, the story of pioneering aviator Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman was largely absent from many history lessons. Now Angela Poe Russell, a veteran journalist, Playwright, is bringing Coleman’s journey to the stage through the musical Aviatrix, with a preview set for March 14 at the Northwest African American Museum during the Seattle Association of Black Journalists’ Black Voices Matter event.
Written by Poe Russell, Aviatrix tells the story of Coleman, a trailblazing pilot who broke racial and gender barriers in the early 20th century. Coleman flew before Amelia Earhart and became the first Black and Native American woman to earn a pilot license during a time when women faced steep barriers in aviation.
The musical follows Coleman, a sharecropper from rural Atlanta, Texas, who grew up picking cotton and dreamed of flying in 1917. At the time, flight schools in the United States did not accept women, forcing Coleman to pursue an unconventional path toward becoming a pilot and an aviation legend.
After more than two decades in journalism, Poe Russell said expanding into new forms of storytelling led to writing the musical.
Poe Russell said learning about Coleman’s story later in life sparked both frustration and determination to share the aviation pioneer’s legacy with broader audiences.
“I felt cheated that I went to high school, college, and no one had ever talked about her,” says Poe Russell.
That realization motivated Poe Russell to dig deeper into Coleman’s life and history.
“I traveled to her hometown where she grew up, got to do a lot of research,” Poe Russell said. “I traveled to Atlanta, Texas, where she was born. This tiny town has a little museum there for her with some of her memorabilia. I love highlighting these overlooked stories.”
Coleman’s journey from poverty to international aviation fame became the driving force behind the musical.
“The fact that I hadn’t heard of her made me determined to spread her story to as many people and places as I could,” said Poe Russell.
The book and lyrics were written by Poe Russell. The production is directed by Amy Poisson, with music and lyrics by Dionne McClain-Freeney. The musical is scheduled to officially debut June 14, 2026.
Poe Russell said telling stories about historical Black pioneers can influence how young people see themselves and what they believe is possible.
“I mean, imagine if growing up we heard more of these stories, what that would do to our self-esteem, and our aspirations,” says Poe Russell. “Bessie’s just been an inspiration to me because of the resilience, the persistence, and the sense of community that buoyed her.”
Transitioning from journalism to musical theater has also meant adapting to a much more collaborative creative process.
“At the heart of it, it’s all storytelling,” said Poe Russell. “I’d say the biggest thing I had to learn would be, I feel like musicals are the biggest collaboration. It’s so different in musicals. I mean, you’ve got your composer, that you’re working with, you have a director, you have costumes, you have sets. It is big, it’s like a sports team, and all these different components have to come together to create a beautiful work of art. I think that’s been the biggest leap in terms of just how you all work together.”
Composer Dionne McClain-Freeney said the collaboration with Poe Russell has been both meaningful and creatively rewarding.
“Working with Angela Paul Russell has been fantastic. She’s so smart and so creative and so dedicated to getting Bessie Coleman’s story further out there,” McClain-Freeney said. “It has been a pleasure, a joy, and honor to work with her. This has been one of the coolest experiences of my life, and so it’s really exciting.”
McClain-Freeney said composing the score involved drawing from a wide range of Black musical traditions while also avoiding limiting the music to a single historical period.
“We’ve got this plethora of Black music, jazz, blues, um, Gospel, even hip hop,” says McClain-Freeney.
The composer also said careful consideration went into honoring Coleman’s Native American heritage in the music.
“I didn’t want to fall back on stereotypical things,” McClain-Freeney continued.
The full production of Aviatrix is set to premiere this spring at Seattle Public Theatre. Audiences will get an early look during the Seattle Association of Black Journalists’ Black Voices Matter event on March 14 at the Northwest African American Museum. The event will include a conversation with Poe Russell and a two song preview from the musical.
“Orville Wright said that women weren’t mechanically inclined,” Poe Russell said. “So, it follows a story of this one woman who refused to take no for an answer and managed to find a way. And they would call her the ‘Aviatrix.’ It’s just really this inspiring story. She’s been very inspiring to me.”
McClain-Freeney said the musical highlights Coleman’s determination and the deeper meaning behind the pursuit of flight.
“Bessie is not just flying for the sake of flying, but flying, seeing flight as another means of elevation, of freedom for an oppressed people,” McClain-Freeney said.
The Black Voices Matter event will take place March 14 at the Northwest African American Museum and will feature a conversation with Angela Poe Russell and a two song preview of the musical. More information is available online at the Seattle Association of Black Journalists event page.
