NEW
WORKS
SERIES
book + music + lyrics by
RICHARD ALLEN
music + lyrics by
TARAN GRAY
with a special appearance by
*CHARLES PERSON*
The live 1-hour presentation will feature excerpts from Freedom Riders: The Civil Rights Musical, a conversation with the writers, and a special appearance by one of the last surviving Freedom Riders Charles Person.
Freedom Riders: The Civil Rights Musical has book, music and lyrics by Richard Allen and music and lyrics by Taran Gray (writers of the. new musical Walt and Roy). Freedom Riders tells the story of the real-life Freedom Riders who challenged the status quo of the 1960s by riding interstate buses in mixed racial groups through the South challenging local laws and customs that enforced segregation. Based on the lives of Diane Nash and Congressman John Lewis, among others, Freedom Riders is a soaring portrait of American race relations and a testament to the power of nonviolent direct action in uncovering injustice.
Freedom Riders has been developed with Barn Stage Company, New York Musical Festival and The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
* FEATURING PERFORMANCES by *
ANTHONY
CHATMON II
(HADESTOWN)
DEON'TE
GOODMAN
(HAMILTON)
PAYSON
LEWIS
(NBC's THE SING-OFF)
BRYNN
WILLIAMS
(SPONGEBOB
SQUAREPANTS)
TYLA
COLLIER
(SISTAS: THE MUSICAL)
CLAYTON
SNYDER
(Disney's LIZZIE McGUIRE)
JENNIFER
SUN
BELL
SCOTT
REDMOND
(RIDE THE CYCLONE)
MEAGAN
FLINT
EBONI
MUSE
MICHAEL
WILLIAM
NIGRO
KEVIN
"BLAX"
BURROUGHS
LEONARD
PATTON
NYGEL
ROBINSON
ERIN
VANDERHYDE
EBONY
POLLUM
DAVON
WILLIAMS
COMMUNITY
INNOVATION
EXPLORATION
EVOLUTION
ARTS WORKERS
COLLABORATION