Selma The Musical: The Untold Stories Concert & Staged Reading

This is event is followed by a talk back conversationi with the cast of Selma & the executives of the John R. Lewis Legacy Institute.

Selma the Musical: The Untold Stories is a musical theatre, historical fiction presentation chronicling the story of Selma and the citizens of this unassuming town as they prepare for what is arguably the greatest endeavor of the Civil Rights movement. The quintessential march for voting rights across the Edmund Pettus Bridge that captured the attention of the nation at a time when race tensions and the battle ground for civil rights and equality is at an all-time high is recorded in this compelling book penned by show creator, J.P. Haynes. This score features original music from the rich genres foundational to Black culture such as Gospel, Jazz, and Hip Hop, yet undergird by a time-honored musical theatre presentation in new, ingenious ways. The Wilson family is the highlight of this piece, as the story follows Selma through the lens of the Wilsons who are staunchly divided on how to approach voting rights in Selma and even calls into question the motives of the icons of the movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. & John Lewis. Anguished by a sorted past and a contentious future, Connie & Joe Wilson place a magnifying glass on their compelling navigation of the Black family dynamics from generational trauma to masterfully spotlighting the fight and plight of the Black man and woman while simultaneously extracting the layers of the convoluted yet impenetrable relationship between the two. Selma is timeless tale about a bridge, a town and a family who refuses to succumb to a life designed to destroy them. It forces us all into an introspective inventory of our own lives and social views. This show is poignant, timely and escorts viewers on a musical theatre experience of a lifetime.

Book & Lyrics By: J.P. Haynes