Ebony Pullum brings legendary jazz songstress Billie Holiday to vibrant life in Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festivals heartbreaking "Lady Day at Emersons Bar & Grill" through Aug. 6 in the Schubert Theater, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, Desales University, Center Valley.The show brilliantly recreates one of Holidays final performances before she died in 1959 at a Philadelphia bar in a tour-de-force turn by Pullum.
Pullum is a vision in a shimmering white satin gown with elbow length gloves by costume designer Levonne Lindsay, as Holiday takes the stage accompanied by her pianist Jimmy Powers and a backing duo. 
Pullums Holiday opens strongly with a wistful "I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone," before launching into a playful take on "When a Woman Loves a Man."
Then Holiday pauses between songs and begins to open up about her life and it is then that Pullum really embodies the troubled singer.
As she gets increasingly drunk, Holidays songs become more honest and open, all accompanied by a wry laugh and harrowing self-awareness.
Some of the stories are heart-rending including having to work at a brothel as a young girl and learning of her fathers death through an insensitive phone call.
Others are bemused as she relates her strained relationship with her mother, who is known as "The Duchess."
Pullum lets Holidays iron clad will shine through as she tells of an encounter with a woman at a restaurant who wouldnt let her use the bathroom because she was "colored," with its unexpectedly satisfying denouement.
But Holidays passion really shines fthrough when she talks of the moment she first hears jazz music by Bessie Smith and Louis Armstong.
As the show continues, Holidays songs become more personal.
There is a touch of bitterness as she sings "God Bless the Child," written after her mother refused to help her financially.
Songs like "Crazy He Calls Me," and the raw "Foolin' Myself" follow her discussions of her toxic relationships with men.
Holiday reluctantly does one of her biggest hits "Strange Fruit," and Pullums performance is palpably painful.
After that, Pullum portrays the increasingly intoxicated Holiday, as her gloves slip down, she kicks off her shoes and puts a gardenia in her hair.
In the very pointed "Taint Nobodys Biz-ness" she even brings her dog onstage as the musician look on with concern. Holidays dog Pepi is played by the adorable and well behaved Bruno Pullman King, Pullums dog who has appeared with her onstage before.
The night I was there Garrick Vaughan, was in for Cedric D. Lyles, the music director who usually plays pianist Jimmy Powers. Vaughan is an impressive piano player and as Powers, nervously tried to keep Billie on task, as her behavior deteriorated.
Also accompanying are Delorean Fullingron on bass and Tarek Mohamed on drums. A jazz break mid-show gave these talented musicians a chance to show off.
Charlie Calvert's set perfectly recreates the lounge vibe and Trey Brazeal's lighting highlights key moments.Director Amina Robinson keeps the 90 minute show moving briskly.
Patrons have a limited opportunity for an especially immersive experience with several tables of onstage seating. Contact the box office at 610-282-9455 for availability
There will be a talk back with the actors after the show July 27 and Aug. 3, and an audio described and open captioned performance 2 p.m. Aug. 5.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. July 21-23, 26-28, Aug. 2-4; 2 p.m. July 23, 30, Aug. 6; 6:30 p.m. July 25, Aug. 1; 2 and 7:30 p.m. July 29, Aug. 5.
Tickets are $64.
For information, call 610-282-9455, or go to pashakespeare.org