But what about their stories? Surely there must be some underlining complexities worth exploring of the woman who so masterfully entertains the masses with their bodies? Yet there have been few shows and films to explore the other side of sex work and share the stories of the women who work in the field from the women’s point of view—aside from perhaps Hulu’s now-canceled series Harlots and the Ice Cube-directed 1998 classic, The Players Club.
That will soon change with the debut of P-Valley, a new Starz original series created and directed by award-winning playwright Katori Hall. The new show, featuring a predominately Black cast comprised of mainly Black women, tells the stories of the exotic dancers of Pynk, a sort of hole-in-the-wall Mecca of a strip club deep in the Mississippi Delta.
Yes, the show will feature women oozing with sensuality sliding down the pole. And yes, the bottle-popping ballers will be there making it rain, too. But P-Valley is much more than just a purview into the glamour and sexiness that comes with dancing for dollars. The show touches on the skill and athleticism it takes to perform such a task, the many reasons why a woman would choose to put herself on display in such a way, jealousy amongst dancers, the cruelty of customers, and the drive many performers have to break out of the business.
Find out more about P-Valley before it premieres on Starz below.
What is the series based on?
It all started with a play. Hall spent time in strip clubs all over the south for years on end before her production, Pussy Valley, opened at the Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis in 2015. Pussy Valley was well received by spectators, however, there was just one problem: there was too much happening all at the same time. Some critics felt the overall goal of the play was drowned out by too many dense and multiple storylines. A three-hour production following the lives of 12 characters, Pussy Valley simply “tried to do too much,” according to a Twin Cities Pioneer Press review.
All Hall’s vast research and dynamic, complex characters opened the doors of opportunity to something even bigger, though: television. Over the course of eight-episodes, P-Valley manages to give more context and insight into the world of the women working at Pynk, giving viewers a chance to connect with and understand each of them and their motivations on a deeper, concise level.
Who stars in the cast?
Fans of Hall’s play will be delighted to see Nicco Annan reprising his role as the strip club den mother, Uncle Clifford. He’ll be joined by an onslaught of talented women including Elarica Johnson, who stars as the series protagonist Autumn Night, and Brandee Evans, who plays the role of soon-retiring star dancer Mercedes. Other cast members include Shannon Thornton, Skyler Joy, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Harriett D. Foy, Tyler Lepley, Dan J. Johnson, and Parker Sawyers.
While the actors will take center stage on the show, real dancers will get their time in the P-Valley spotlight too. Hall was intentional about making sure professional exotic dancers were filling the clubs. So you might spot a real dancer or eight in the background during certain scenes of the show.
“We actually had real dancers working on the show,” Hall said during an interview with Deadline released on Thursday. “We had a core group of background dancers who were still dancing at their Atlanta strip clubs while they were working on the show. On set, they would come up to me and say, ‘Thank you. This is a reflection of my life, and I love that you’re not looking at my choices as a shameful thing.’”
When does it P-Valley air?
The new Starz original series will premiere on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
Can you live stream the show?
Viewers without access to television can catch P-Valley via live stream on Starz’s app and website. Hulu subscribers with premium services can also watch the premiere through the streaming platform.
