Hartford Stage Hosts Clergy Panel Discussion After Performance of BREATH & IMAGINATION Tonight

Hartford Stage will host a post-show Clergy Panel discussion about faith with members of the Greater Hartford religious community after the performance of Breath & Imagination tonight, Tuesday, January 15.

Before Marian Anderson and Paul Robeson, there was Roland Hayes - the first world-renowned African-American classical vocalist. Born the son of a slave, Roland discovered his voice as a young boy singing spirituals in church. A world premiere, Breath & Imagination, chronicles his amazing journey from a plantation in Georgia, to singing before kings and queens in Europe. At the heart of the story is Roland's loving, yet complex relationship with his mother - his Angel Mo'. Breath & Imagination explores the life of an American pioneer through traditional spirituals and classical music, as well as original songs by Daniel Beaty.

Breath & Imagination is a new play by Daniel Beaty and directed by Darko Tresnjak. The cast includes international classical music vocalist and gospel singer Jubilant Sykes, Broadway veteran Kecia Lewis-Evans (Once on This Island and Chicago), and accomplished pianist Tom Frey (2 Pianos/4 Hands).

For more information, visit www.hartfordstage.org.

Any clergy members who are interested in participating, please contact Marni K. Lewis at 860-520-7114 or mlewis@hartfordstage.org.

Hartford Stage, since its founding in 1963, has been known for innovative revivals of classics and the development of important new works, including 65 World or American premieres. Recent work includes Quiara Alegria Hudes' Water by the Spoonful, winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama; Horton Foote's The Orphans' Home Cycle which had a celebrated run at the Signature Theatre in New York during the 2009-2010 season; a landmark production of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird; the premieres of Michael Kramer's Divine Rivalry; and Daniel Beaty's Resurrection (later retitled Through the Night, which had a successful run off-Broadway during the 2010-11 season). In 1998 the theatre launched an unprecedented ten-year retrospective of Tennessee Williams, which included the premiere of three plays. Other new work includes the premieres of Eve Ensler's Necessary Targets, Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo, Matthew Barber's Enchanted April (which transferred to Broadway), Matthew Lombardo's Tea at Five, and many others. The theatre has earned numerous distinguished honors, including a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, the Margo Jones Award, OBIE awards, New York Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards. In 2005 Hartford Stage was awarded The Hartford Courant's Tapestry Award recognizing its outstanding work in diversity, and in 2008 it was awarded the Bank of America Neighborhood Builder's Award recognizing its excellence in building community in Greater Hartford. Hartford Stage is currently under the leadership of Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak and Managing Director Michael Stotts.