Event Lectures and Symposia Black Pearl Sings

Date and Location

  • When: Wednesday, February 13, 2019

    12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EST

  • Where: James Madison Building - Pickford Theater (LM302)

    101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540

Part of Benjamin A. Botkin Folklife Lectures ; Black History Month

Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

A Theatrical reading and discussion of this play with the artistic director and two cast members from the Alliance for New Music Theater. 

Written in 2006 by Frank Higgins, this play is based on the relationship between John Lomax and Huddie "Lead belly" Ledbetter, and tells the story of a female musicologist employed by the Library of Congress that meets and records a female inmate in a Texas prison who grew up with Gullah Geechee heritage. 

Presented in Celebration of African American History Month.
Co-sponsored with the Daniel A. P. Murray Association.

Contact: 202.707.5510. 

Featuring

  • Thomas W. Jones II

    (Director / Writer/ Actor) has directed, written, and performed in more than 200 plays worldwide. In 1978, Tom founded Jomandi Productions, where, as Co-Artistic Director and Producing Director, Tom led Jomandi to become the third largest African-American theatre company in the United States. His work as writer, director, and actor has been acclaimed nationally and internationally. His work has won 15 Washington DC Helen Hayes Awards. He also teaches at the high school and college level.

  • Susan Galbraith

    is a director, writer, and actor at Alliance for New Music-Theatre, Washington, DC. She is a playwright, poet, librettist, director and performer. Trained as both an actress and dancer in styles that include both western and far eastern performance, she has directed and also performed in repertory theatre, new plays, and experimental cross-over forms of dance-theatre. She holds a BFA in Drama and English from Tufts University.

  • NJ Mitchell

    serves DC theater community as artistic director, board of director, community talkback coordinator, public programming committee member, drama teacher, facilitator, and panelist. Facilitating theater audience post show discussions, speaking on and participating as panelist on faith, race relations, gun violence, gender and identity topics. NJ is the granddaughter of a pastor, born to a gospel recording artist and professional sports family.

  • Roz White

    is a vocalist, actress, motivational speaker, & teaching artist. She starred in and received stellar reviews for her self-penned cabaret Pearl Bailey... by request. A Washington, DC native, graduated from Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and Howard University’s College of Fine Arts. As a recording artist has recorded & toured with many artists including gospel music legend Yolanda Adams. Recent theatrical credits include: "Black Pearl" in Black Pearl Sings & "Lady" in Ladies Swings the Blues."