Zell Miller III debuts Black Rose Theater ATX with one-act 'And She Was Loved'

August 17, 2026

Austin poet laureate Zell Miller III is unveiling a new company, Black Rose Theater ATX, with a premiere production this September. The inaugural work, a single-act play titled And She Was Loved, will be staged at Hyde Park Theatre from September 3 to September 12.

Miller says he chose the company name as a tribute to his late mother, Vernell Miller, who had a black rose tattoo on her ankle, and the production also honors his theatrical mentor Laurie Carlos. The play functions as a tribute to both women and to Miller's own process of mourning.

And She Was Loved follows Miller's navigation of grief, yet he weaves in hope throughout the piece. He borrows motifs from Peter Pan, setting portions of the story in a place called the Land of Never, where he casts himself as Peter Pan and his daughter Marley as Shadow.

Siobhan Alexis appears in the role of G, the play's analogue to Tinkerbell, and she communicates largely through movement rather than spoken lines. Alexis, known for award-winning tap work, has previously collaborated with Miller as a dancer, and this production expands her role into acting while drawing on dance and movement.

Miller and his daughter portray fictionalized versions of themselves onstage, and Marley says her father continues to coach her outside rehearsal because they share a home. That ongoing collaboration extends the play's focus on family, memory, and creative practice.

Miller frames the piece as difficult in subject but ultimately celebratory, aiming to show the possibility of healing after loss. Audiences can see And She Was Loved during its run at Hyde Park Theatre, which introduces Black Rose Theater ATX to Austin's performing arts scene.