Jade Wheeler may not look a lot like actor and singer Eartha Kitt but she sure makes you believe the distinctive entertainer is on stage at Urbanite Theatre in her one-woman show “Who is Eartha Mae?”

In a little more than an hour, with the help of the vibrant musical director and pianist Catherine Stornetta and director Livy Scanlon, Wheeler tells the story of Kitt’s life and sings some of the important songs from her career. And she does it by framing it within the disturbing context of the divisive racial hatred and political turmoil that kept her work focused in Europe and Asia.

It’s a fascinating story told affectionately and efficiently (I almost wish it was a little longer). Wheeler sings as much with her hands as she does with her voice, recalling the graceful movements of Kitt, who began her career dancing for the renowned Katherine Dunham, who was known as the “Queen Mother of Black dance.”

That Kitt even made it to that point, at just 16, is amazing considering that she grew up poor in a small town in South Carolina, working in cotton fields and other physically demanding jobs.

Her light skin tone was a problem in the segregated South, and for her mother’s boyfriend, who wanted nothing to do with her. Eartha was sent to live with an abusive aunt, who also provided some opportunities that would fuel her career.

The aunt arranged piano lessons and got the young Eartha to sing in a church choir where she discovered an appreciation for applause and a feeling of adoration that she never found at home. She wasn’t trained as a dancer, but Dunham saw something in her and gave her opportunities to study and perform as a soloist with her modern dance company. Over time, Kitt discovered she could use her voice, her sultry personality and good looks to find success as a nightclub and cabaret singer in Paris and London and later as an actress. Famed film director Orson Welles apparently once called her the “most exciting woman in the world.”

Though the story Wheeler shares advances quickly, she gives you the feeling that Kitt is sharing secrets and proud moments as if for the first time. It all seems natural, unaffected, honest and sometimes heartbreaking.

And the story is interspersed with an eclectic mix of songs, including her hits “C’est si bon,” “Just an Old Fashioned Girl” (looking for an “old-fashioned millionaire”) and “I Want to be Evil,” mixed with a showcase of international tunes, such as “Waray, Waray,”  based on a Filipino folk song. You hear that famous purring sound but it never seems like an affectation. Wheeler makes it all part of the character she’s playing.

On the small stage, scenic designer Frank Chavez creates multiple spaces for Kitt and Stornetta to perform. It includes a plush dressing room where Wheeler transforms into the elegant stars audiences expect as she waits for the call to begin her latest show.

Kitt was clearly a survivor, managing to re-emerge after major setbacks. In the 1960s she was blacklisted and investigated by the CIA after upsetting First Lady Lady Bird Johnson by sharing her views on the Vietnam War. It would take another 10 years before she felt safe to return to her home country with her daughter, Kitt. From there, she reconnected with American audiences and appeared on Broadway, concert stages and national tours.

Scanlon, who starred in the one-woman play “Judith” at Urbanite two years ago, uses a gentle touch as a director and makes good use of limited space. There are no false steps or movements that seem calculated to create action or propel the story. Wheeler is so compelling she could just sit and talk and audiences would be captivated.

Wheeler has been developing the show since 2019 with Scanlon, and the Sarasota run is presented in a partnership with the Hanover Theatre Rep in Worcester, MA, where Scanlon is artistic director. It’s a charming and moving show just beginning its life to remind audiences of the wonder of Kitt’s life and career.

“Who is Eartha Mae?” by Jade Wheeler. Directed by Livy Scanlon. Reviewed May 30 at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St., Sarasota. Through June 21. Tickets are $44, $30 for those 40 and younger and $5 for students. urbanitetheatre.com; 941-321-1397