The Arkansas Repertory Theatre will host a one-night-only show that celebrates the stories and songs from the Arkansas Delta. On Oct. 1, Black ‘n’ da Blues will take the stage for a show of live music and oral history that tells the story of the last century in Arkansas’ Phillips County, including the Elaine Massacre that took place a century ago.
Written by Carlos Sirah, an internationally produced writer and performer with the Remember2019 Collective, this collaborative effort will feature musicians from the Arkansas Delta as they explore the cultural and racial history of Phillips County told through the spirituals, the blues and R&B.
The show will be hosted by Angela Davis Johnson, a visual and performance artist with deep roots in the Arkansas Delta. Talent includes contemporary blues singer James “Gone for Good” Morgan, who has performed with R&B greats such as B.B. King, the Temptations, Denise LaSalle, Bobby Blue Bland, Bobby Womack, the Commodores, Little Richard, Aerosmith and Kansas. Blues singer Marcus “Mookie” Cartwright and gospel singer Vera White will also take the stage. The show is rounded out by Ricco Smith on the drums, Mike Boone on the piano, Phillip Stackhouse on the saxophone, Danny Bell on the lead guitar and Reggie Simmons on the bass.
The show begins at 7 p.m. at The Rep’s Annex at 518 Main St. General admission is free. For more info, head to The Rep’s website.
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