Every plate holds a story in this celebration of a family’s long history with African-American cooking—inventing recipes to survive hard times, to keep memory alive, and to gather together with love. Created by acclaimed composer Nolan Williams, Jr., whose vast musical palette ranges from rousing symphonic works to jazz and from gospel to musical theatre, Grace unfolds entirely through gorgeous original songs. A soaring tribute to the dishes that carry a complex legacy, infused with a warm spirit of community.
Age Recommendation: 10+
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by Nolan Williams, Jr.
directed by Robert Barry Fleming
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About the Playwright
Nolan Williams, Jr.
Nolan Williams, Jr. is an American composer and producer who uses his art to advocate, educate and inspire. His work includes curatorial festivals produced in partnership with the Kennedy Center and Philadelphia’s Mann Center; cultural programming developed with the Smithsonian Institution, U.S. State Department, and the Embassies of India and South Africa; theatrical productions including Stirring the Waters Across America (Kennedy Center), The Nolan Williams Project (Cleveland Play House), Go, Tell It! (Lincoln Theatre), Christmas Gift! (The Clarice) and Devine Hamer Gray (in development); choral/orchestral works premiered by major American orchestras; music for television; and songwriting credits on two Grammy-nominated projects. A graduate of Oberlin College, Williams is one of the Kennedy Center’s six inaugural Social Impact Arts Residents. For more information, please visit NEWorksProductions.com.
From the Washington Post
Black-eyed peas made by Gloria Elaine Johnson Williams, Nolan Williams Jr.’s mother, helped inspire his forthcoming musical, Grace, which is focused on the African American culinary legacy and history.
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