Iconic jazz singer depicted on stage at Arvada Center

"Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill" is a celebration of the life and music of Billie Holiday. It's on stage now at the Arvada Center. The production is an intimate, immersive experience. The set is cabaret-style, so some audience members are immersed in the action, which gives the very personal portrayal of Holiday even more intimate. 

"The music is beautiful. I'm so grateful I get to sing it," Essence Anise Tyler, who plays Billie Holiday in this one performer play. "I don't necessarily sing it like I would sing it. I had to place it in a certain way that was more like Billie." 

Capturing the way Holiday manipulated phrasing and tempo was a challenge that Tyler embraced. She also had to embody the emotions of Holiday's turbulent life. 

"Some of the songs might have like a happier tune but the lyrics are sad, you know, they're kind of haunting," Tyler explained. 

"Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill" is set at a night club in Philadelphia. It's supposed to be one of Holiday's last performances. Holiday died four months after this performance at the age of 44. 

"I enjoy how human it is. How real," Tyler said. 

The play is very real. It explores every aspect of Holiday's life including racism, drugs, alcohol use, sexual assault, loves and losses. 

"I find as the run continues, I'm still discovering things and breaking down certain layers and getting to the root of the thing because all I want to do is tell her story the most authentic and honest way possible," Tyler told CBS News Colorado. 

Billie Holiday's story is at the same time heart breaking and inspirational. She struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. She suffered depression and several abusive marriages. She also revolutionized jazz singing. She used music as a form of protest and she refused to compromise her artistic vision. 

"Strange Fruit was a song that they didn't want her to sing. The government did not want her singing that song, but as an act of protest she continued singing the song whether that means she ended up in jail or they tried to get her in all these other ways," Tyler explained. 

LINK: For Tickets & Information for "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill"

"Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill" runs through November 2nd in the Black Box Theatre at the Arvada Center.