HBO has ordered a new sketch comedy series from Robin Thede and Issa Rae, which will be the first to feature an almost exclusive cast of black women.
The half-hour series — “A Black Lady Sketch Show” — will feature narrative sketches performed by a core cast of black women, including Thede, as well as celebrity guests. Thede serves as creator, executive producer, writer and star, with Rae executive producing through her company, Issa Rae Productions.
The series is the first gig for Thede since her late-night series, “The Rundown With Robin Thede,” was canceled after one season by BET. Thede is also developing a sitcom for ABC based on her childhood.
Lauren Ashley Smith, who was the show’s head writer, is coming to Thede’s new series in the same role, along with being co-executive producer. Dave Becky, Jonathan Berry, Tony Hernandez, Brooke Posch will serve as executive producers, with Deniese Davis, Montrel McKay, and John Skidmore on board as producers.
“Black Lady Sketch Show” will further expand Rae’s relationship with HBO. She has starred for three seasons on the pay cable network’s comedy “Insecure,” and will star alongside Laura Dern in the limited series “The Dolls,” which recounts the aftermath of Christmas Eve riots within two small Arkansas towns in 1983 over Cabbage Patch Dolls.