2 minute read
Piano Battle
Photo by Sekou Luke
step afrika!
Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping. Under Mr. Williams’ leadership, stepping has evolved into one of America’s cultural exports, touring more than 60 countries across the globe, and the Company now ranks as one of the top ten AfricanAmerican dance companies in the United States. Step Afrika! blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities; traditional African dances; and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows: they integrate songs, storytelling, humor and audience participation. SPONSORED BY
colson whitehead
Colson Whitehead is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Underground Railroad (an Oprah’s Book Club selection and winner of the 2016 National Book Award and 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction), The Noble Hustle, Zone One, Sag Harbor, The Intuitionist, John Henry Days, Apex Hides the Hurt, and one collection of essays, The Colossus of New York. He was named New York’s 11th State Author in 2018. His New York Times bestseller The Nickel Boys won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (making him only the fourth writer to win two Pulitzers in the Fiction category), the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Fiction, and the 2020 Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. His latest bestselling novel, Harlem Shuffle, was published in the fall of 2021.
SPONSORED BY BERNADETTE & ROGER LUCA
Queens of SOUL Queens of SOULQueens of SOUL queens of soul with
tallahassee symphony orchestra
Experience the best of Motown, R&B, and Soul with vocalists Morgan James and Erica Gabriel, featuring works by Annie Lennox, Adele, Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston, and more, all backed by your Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Darko Butorac. The Wall Street Journal describes James as “the most promising young vocalist to come along so far this century.” Morgan James has established herself as a formidable presence in the music world, performing in the original companies of five Broadway productions. Erica Gabriel has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Savannah Philharmonic, and the Jackson Symphony. She was cast in Ravinia’s production of Bernstein’s Mass under the baton of Marin Alsop, which later aired on the award-winning PBS Great Performances television series.
RUBY DIAMOND CONCERT HALL • 7:30 P.M. • $55 | $45 | $35 • GENRE ORCHESTRAL, TRIBUTE, R&B
