Living the Dream … Singing the Dream
LIVING THE DREAM … SINGING THE DREAM
A Choral Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choirs
Theodore Thorpe III and Michele Fowlin, artistic directors
The Choral Arts Society of Washington
When the power of the human voice meets the spirit of community and the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the result is guaranteed to be joyous and inspiring—as thousands of Living the Dream… attendees over the years can attest. Join us as the combined Men, Women, and Children of the Gospel choirs of Washington Performing Arts, and the Choral Arts Chorus raise their voices in tribute both to Dr. King’s achievements and to his ongoing, indelible impact. Through song, inspirational stories, and special tributes by community leaders, Living the Dream…Singing the Dream unites all who honor Dr. King’s ideals.
Hosted by NBC4 News anchor Shawn Yancy and under the Artistic Direction of Theodore Thorpe III, Living the Dream…Singing the Dream features artistic directors Theodore Thorpe III and Michele Fowlin; special guests Ralph Alan Herndon, David Anthony Johnson, Konshens the MC, and Simone Paulwell; plus the presentation of the Choral Arts Humanitarian Award to Spanish-American chef José Andrés.
This performance is 1 hour and 45 minutes, including an intermission.
“Expect soaring singing, moving tributes and testimonies, and (if you do it right) a hoarse throat the next morning.”
– The Washington Post
Program
Living the Dream…Singing the Dream
“Great God, Great Praise”……………………………….Kurt Carr (b. 1964)
“Soon Ah Will Be Done” …………………………………African American Spiritual, Arr. William L. Dawson (1899-1990)
“My Father Watches Over Me” ………………………..William C. Martin (1864-1914) & Charles H. Gabriel (1856-1932), Arr. John Leon Lewis
“In My Father’s House”…………………………………..James Cleveland (1931-1991), Arr. Ralph Alan Herndon (b. 1959)
“Stardust” ……………………………………………………Music by B. E. Boykin (b. 1989), Poem by Brittny Ray Crowell
“Birmingham Letter” …………………………………….Nolan Williams Jr. (b. 1969)
“Precious Lord”…………………………………………….Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993), Arr. Nathan Carter (b. 1936)
“Lift Every Voice and Sing”……………………………..Music by John Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954), Poem by James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), Arr. Roland Carter (b. 1942)
“No Turning Back”…………………………………………..Israel Houghton (b. 1971)
“Jehovah Sabaoth (God of Angel Armies)”………..Donald Lawrence (b. 1961)
“Searching”……………………………………………………Dorothy Norwood (b. 1935), Arr. Ralph Alan Herndon
“No Color”……………………………………………………..Stacey V. Gibbs (b. 1962) & Shawn Kirchner (b. 1970)
“Brown” from Black Metropolis:
Improvisations on Paint Factory……………………….Darin Atwater
“The Promised Land” …………………………………….Ken Burton (b. 1970), Lyrics by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906); Thomas Day (1748-1789); John Bicknell (1746-1787)
“If I Can Help Somebody”………………………………..Alma Bazel Androzzo (1912-2001), Arr. Stanley J. Thurston (b. 1958)
“Great God, Great Praise”……………………………….Kurt Carr (b. 1964)
“Soon Ah Will Be Done” …………………………………African American Spiritual, Arr. William L. Dawson (1899-1990)
“My Father Watches Over Me” ………………………..William C. Martin (1864-1914) & Charles H. Gabriel (1856-1932), Arr. John Leon Lewis
“In My Father’s House”…………………………………..James Cleveland (1931-1991), Arr. Ralph Alan Herndon (b. 1959)
“Stardust” ……………………………………………………Music by B. E. Boykin (b. 1989), Poem by Brittny Ray Crowell
“Birmingham Letter” …………………………………….Nolan Williams Jr. (b. 1969)
“Precious Lord”…………………………………………….Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993), Arr. Nathan Carter (b. 1936)
“Lift Every Voice and Sing”……………………………..Music by John Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954), Poem by James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), Arr. Roland Carter (b. 1942)
“No Turning Back”…………………………………………..Israel Houghton (b. 1971)
“Jehovah Sabaoth (God of Angel Armies)”………..Donald Lawrence (b. 1961)
“Searching”……………………………………………………Dorothy Norwood (b. 1935), Arr. Ralph Alan Herndon
“No Color”……………………………………………………..Stacey V. Gibbs (b. 1962) & Shawn Kirchner (b. 1970)
“Brown” from Black Metropolis:
Improvisations on Paint Factory……………………….Darin Atwater
“The Promised Land” …………………………………….Ken Burton (b. 1970), Lyrics by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906); Thomas Day (1748-1789); John Bicknell (1746-1787)
“If I Can Help Somebody”………………………………..Alma Bazel Androzzo (1912-2001), Arr. Stanley J. Thurston (b. 1958)
Our Partners
Performances by the Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir are made possible through the generous support of Jacqueline Badger Mars and Mars, Incorporated, together with the Edith Glick Shoolman Children’s Foundation.
This performance is made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors: Trista L. P. Colbert and Theodore Colbert; Rudy Burwell and Mona Mohib, in loving memory of Rudolph Burwell, Sr.; and Barbara Myers and Tom Gallagher.
Gospel music programs at Washington Performing Arts are made possible in part through the generous support of The Beech Street Foundation and Mr. Jeffrey Bauman and Ms. Linda Fienberg; The Dan Cameron Family Foundation; Bruce Rosenblum and Lori Laitman; Hubert “Hank” Schlosberg† and the Schlosberg Family; Dr. Tafaya Ransom; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Alison D. Francis; Trista L. P. Colbert and Theodore Colbert; Lauren and Glen Howard; Kayla Ross Perry Memorial Foundation; and an anonymous donor.
Special thanks to the following lead supporters of Washington Performing Arts’s mission-driven work: Jacqueline Badger Mars and Mars, Incorporated; D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities; the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs Program and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts; and The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation.
This performance is an external rental presented in coordination with the Kennedy Center Campus Rentals Office and is not produced by the Kennedy Center.
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