''I Dream'' is a fully
through-composed opera by Douglas Tappin (librettist, lyricist, composer), based on the life of
Martin Luther King Jr.
The world premiere of this ''Rhythm and Blues Opera'' opened in July 2010 on the Alliance Stage of the
Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Original cast and creative team
*
Jasmine Guy – Director
*Carl Marsh – Orchestration
*Keith Williams – Musical director
With choreography by Dawn Axam, and designs by Kat Conley (set), Joseph Futral (lighting), Shilla Benning (costumes), and Bobby Johnston (sound).
The producers were
Dej Mahoney, Cedric Perrier, Tim Bowen, and Douglas Tappin.
The cast included:
*
Quentin Earl Darrington
Quentin Earl Darrington (born July 9, 1977) is an American actor and singer known for his work in theatre. He has performed in Broadway productions and national tours of shows including ''Once on This Island'', '' Cats'', and ''Memphis''. He orig ...
as "Martin"
*
Demetria McKinney as "Coretta"
*
Avery Sunshine as "Grandma"
*Desmond Ellington as "Hosea2
*Ben Polite as "Ralph"
*and
Bob Carlisle
Reception
''I Dream'' opened to mostly positive reviews from both the press and those involved with the
civil rights movement. ''RollingOut.com'' said: "The life of Dr. King as chronicled in the stage musical ''I Dream'', is right on time as a reminder of what the fight was for. The dynamically talented cast delivered stirring performances to move audience members through each riveting scene." ''
Creative Loafing'' reported that "Tappin's hugely ambitious world premiere follows the example of Broadway's big, rock-influenced musicals such as ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', ''Evita'', and ''Les Miserables''." ''
The Huffington Post'' stated: "
he show brought
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
some of the heartiest former Civil Rights activists in the house to tears, before raising them to their feet at the finale for, perhaps, the greatest standing ovation the show will ever receive."
Nominated in 10 categories for Atlanta's 2009/2010
Suzi Bass Award
Suzi is an English language, English nickname for people with names such as Susan, Suzanne (given name), Suzanne, Susanna (given name), Susanna or Susannah (given name), Susannah.
Notable people with the name include:
* Suzi Digby
* Suzi Ferrer ( ...
, ''I Dream'' won in the "Outstanding World Premiere" (Play or Musical) category.
Recording
A
concept album
A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
of ''I Dream'' entitled ''I Dream (The Concept Recording)'' was recorded in 2015, featuring Quentin Darrington as "Martin" and
Avery Sunshine as "Coretta" - released for digital download and streaming, including on
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
,
Google Play, and
Spotify.
Additional productions
*
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...
, January 2017 (concert)
*
Toledo Opera, April 2018
See also
*
Civil rights movement in popular culture
References
External links
*
Playbill January 15, 2018,
Fountain Street Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan
{{Authority control
2010 operas
Cultural depictions of Martin Luther King Jr.
Operas set in the 20th century
Operas set in the United States
Operas
Operas based on real people