2023 is shaping up to be a busy year, and I’m kicking it off with a unique project with World Music Collective called DEAR MR. DUNCAN. A new show by composer Noah Getz and poet Dwayne Lawson-Brown, DEAR MR. DUNCAN combines original music, poetry, and some dramatic scenes to tell the story of Todd Duncan, a DC-based vocalist who was the first Porgy in PORGY AND BESS and was also instrumental in desegregating audiences for the first performances of PORGY AND BESS in DC.
The show feels akin to a live, dramatic version of NPR’s “Hot Jazz,” using music and storytelling to relate the life and experiences of a bold and incredibly talented artist who made lasting contributions to both music and social culture.
I’m cast as the Narrator of the story and as PORGY AND BESS composer George Gershwin. I’m excited to bring this piece to life with a pair of very talented vocalists, poet Dwayne Lawson-Brown, and the musical ensemble of Noah Getz and the World Music Collective!
DEAR MR. DUNCAN plays Feb 4, 5, and 6 at The Keegan Theatre near Dupont Circle in DC. More info is available on the World Music Collective website, and tickets are available on Eventbrite.