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 February 9, 2018 / Modified feb 9, 2018 12:22 p.m.

"Black Pearl Sings" Builds Bridges with Song

Also on Arizona Spotlight: How politics in China evolved in the 20th century; and meet author Larry Dane Brimner, dedicated to writing about civil rights for young readers.
by Mark McLemore

black pearl stage unsized image 1 VIEW LARGER To-Ree-Nee Wolf and Katherine Byrne star in "Black Pearl Sings", Feb. 13 - 15, 2018 at The Invisible Theatre in Tucson.
Tim Fuller

Featured on the February 9th, 2018 edition of ARIZONA SPOTLIGHT with host Mark McLemore:

  • How did the turmoil of 1968 give rise to a future political and economic superpower? Tony Perkins interviews University of Arizona professor Fabio Lanza about his book The End of Concern, a profile of a group of young American scholars who sought to unlock the mysteries of the People's Republic of China 50 years ago...

Listen to an extended version of the interview:

End of Concern spot
  • Meet Larry Dane Brimner, an Arizona author who has written a series of books about civil rights and social justice for young readers. Mark talks with Brimner about where his dedication to these topics comes from, and how he researched his newest, Twelve Days in May, which focuses on the 1961 Freedom Ride...

Listen to Larry Dane Brimner read an excerpt from "Twelve Days in May: Freedom Ride 1961":

Larry Dane Brimner will be one of hundreds of authors appearing March 10 & 11, 2018 at The Tucson Festival of Books. On Sunday, March 11th, he will read from his newest picture book Puppy & Bear: The First Day of School in The Story Blanket Tent at 11 am. At 1 pm, Brimner will be part of a talk on “Investigative Journalism: Voices that Changed History”.


Twelve Days in May Larry Brimner Larry Dane Brimner's 2017 book for young readers about the civil rights movement, "Twelve Days in May: Freedom Ride 1961."
Roxyanne Young

  • And, through conversation and performance, meet To-Ree-Nee Wolf and Katherine Byrnes, the stars of Black Pearl Sings a play about race, gender, and the bridges that can be built through the power of song.


Click to watch part of the in-studio performance, recorded for Facebook Live:


Black Pearl Sings, written by Frank Higgins and directed by Susan Claassen, runs from February 13th through the 25th at The Invisible Theater, located near the corner of 1st Avenue and Drachman. (Tickets for the debut performance on February 13th are available at a discount.)

MORE: Arizona, Arizona Spotlight, Arts and Life, Books, Culture, Entertainment, History, Kids, Music, People and Places, Tucson, University of Arizona
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