
10 Sept – 21 Oct 2012
Performances daily at 7.30pm, ex. Sundays
Act 1:
Interval:
Act 2:
Play ends
60 minutes
20 minutes
55 minutes
approx. at 9.45 pm
SYNOPSIS
Black Pearl Sings, based on a real life story, follows the unusual journey of two extraordinary women. Susannah, a Caucasian musicologist and “song collector” for the Library of Congress travels the country in 1933 in search of lost traditional spirituals and African folk songs from the early times of slavery. In a Texas prison, she meets Alberta “Pearl” Johnson, who has been sentenced for murder, and Susannah is soon convinced that this woman with a soulful voice and a steely spirit is hiding the musical treasure which would bring her the long-awaited recognition. But Pearl has her own agenda, she will only trade her songs for a ticket to freedom in order to find her one and only daughter.
„Black Pearl Sings will fill you with wonder.” – Chicago Theater Beat
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“A transcendent tale of the bridges that are built through the power of song.” – Examiner.com
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“This is a gem of a play that will renew your faith in humanity.” – Chicago Critic
Alberta ‘Pearl’ Johnson
Susannah Mullaly
Director & Musical Director
Designer
Carole Alston
Adrienne Ferguson
Akin’ Babatunde’
Matt Sykes-Hooban