Tonya Pinkins and Erika Rolfsrud officially open Washington D.C.'s Ford Theatre season tonight with Black Pearl Sings!, writen by Frank Higgins and directed by Jennifer L. Nelson. The show began previews on September 25 and will run through October 18, 2009.
In Black Pearl Sings! Susannah, a song collector for the Library of Congress, travels the country seeking little-known melodies. When she encounters Pearl in a Texas prison, she discovers dozens of musical treasures rooted in the African tradition. Pearl must decide whether to give away her ancestors' songs for a chance at her own freedom. Music unites strangers in a powerful story that illuminates America's racial divisions and the attempts of two women to bridge them. Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins makes her Ford's Theatre debut in the title role with Erika Rolfsrud as Susannah. Jennifer L. Nelson returns to direct for the first time since her critically acclaimed production of Jitney.
A post-performance discussion immediately following the performance will take place Saturday, October 3 following the 2:30 p.m. matinee. Members of the cast will take questions from the audience and discuss the artistic process.
Special Events
At 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, director Jennifer L. Nelson will participate in A.C.T.O.R. (A Continuing Talk on Race) at Busboys and Poets (2021 14th St., Washington, D.C.). No reservations are required.
For more information visit http://www.fords.org/event/black-pearl-sings
Oprah described Tonya Pinkins as one of the "Ten Women in America Who Will Take Your Breath Away." Broadway: Jelly's Last Jam, Tony Kushner's Caroline or Change. August Wilson's Radio Golf, George C. Wolfe's The Wild Party, Play On. Awards and Nominations: Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle and Clarence Derwent Award (Sweet Anita, Jelly's Last Jam), Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, Obie Award, Lortel Award, Garland Award, NAACP Theater, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations (Caroline, Caroline or Change; Lady Liv, Play On ). TV: 24 (Alama Motobo), Army Wives (Viola Crawford) and All My Children (Livia Frye Cudahy), Law & Order, The Closer, Criminal Minds. Film: Enchanted; Above the Rim; John Turturro's Romance and Cigarettes, Noah's Arc : Jumping the broom. Recordings: My Shining Hour a celebration of composer Harold Arlen. Publications: Get Over Yourself!: How to Drop the Drama and Claim the Life You Deserve (Hyperion Books). To find out more, visit Pinkins at www.tonyapinkins.com.
Erika Rolfsrud credits include at the Ford's Theatre: The Gate of Heaven. Broadway: The Coast of Utopia, Rabbit Hole, Exit the King. Off-Broadway: The Glory of Living, How I Learned to Drive, Trout Stanley, O Pioneers!, Comedy of Errors, Eclipsed, Love's Fire. Regional: Repertory Theatre of St. Louis: The Little Dog Laughed (Kevin Kline Award, Best Actress); Pittsburgh Public/Hartford Theaterworks: Rabbit Hole; Old Globe Theatre: The Seagull, Cymbeline, Henry IV, Dancing at Lughnasa, Macbeth, The Gate of Heaven; Arizona Theatre Company: Bad Dates; Two River Theatre Company: Bad Dates; Wilma Theater: Outrage; ACT Theatre: Jumpers; Hartford Theaterworks: The Dazzle; Great Lakes Theatre Festival: Much Ado about Nothing; Seattle Repertory Theatre: The Good Times Are Killing Me; and the Shakespeare Festivals of Utah, Seattle and Idaho. Film/TV: Alone, Third Watch, All My Children, Law & Order, As The World Turns. Training: MFA, Old Globe Theatre/USD.
