Hesston College and The Orpheum Theatre will partner to present “I Go On Singing” an original tribute to Paul Robeson at The Orpheum Theatre (Wichita, Kan.) at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 21 and a free program for schools at 10 a.m., Feb. 22.
Internationally acclaimed baritone and Hesston College faculty member and artist-in-residence Anthony Brown’s tribute to Robeson, who was an all-American athlete and scholar, champion orator, international recording artist, and star of the stage and screen during the 1930s and 40s, is in honor of Black History Month.
Robeson’s story is a 75-minute song-filled, multi-media presentation that reveals him as a towering figure in 20th century American history. Brown uses Robeson’s own words from his autobiography “Here I Stand” and comments from legendary peace activist and artist Pete Seeger to trace his humble beginnings as a preacher’s son in Princeton, N.J., to his international celebrity and pioneering activism on the world stage.
Accompanied by collaborative pianist Hesston College music faculty member Ken Rodgers, photo projection and narrator Junius Dotson, senior pastor at Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Wichita, “I Go On Singing” is equal parts historical documentary and live concert experience. Musical numbers range from spirituals to Broadway, and include original arrangements of Robeson’s favorites like “Ol’ Man River,” “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child,” “Shenandoah,” “Scandalize My Name,” “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” “All Through the Night,” “Joe Hill,” “Deep River” and many others.
Brown is an international promoter of peace, Hesston College sociology faculty and artist-in-residence and founder of Peacing It Together Foundation, an organization that serves the global community as a resource for peace and social justice. He uses music and the spoken word to bring people together across the divides of race, culture and religion. Brown’s travels have taken him to countries such as Bosnia, Moldova, Northern Ireland, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Philippines, China, Japan, South Korea and Colombia, where he has seen music transform and heal.
“Paul Robeson: I Go On Singing” was written especially for Brown by personal friend and playwright, Andrew Flack, and premiered in Robeson’s hometown of Princeton, N.J., to inspiring reviews.
Benjamin J. Colbert, chairman of The Paul Robeson House Committee in Princeton said of the show, “We were very fortunate to have witnessed Mr. Brown’s portrayal of the music, life, and times of Paul Robeson. His performance in ‘I Go On Singing’ brings new life and inspiration to a generation of admirers.”
“Anthony Brown is a treasure,” said Patricia Fernandez-Kelly, Ph.D of Princeton University. “Endowed with a superb baritone voice, he has assembled an exquisite show that celebrates Paul Robeson and his times. Instructive and deeply touching, Mr. Brown’s performance is extraordinary. More people should have the opportunity to witness it.”
Hesston College, the only two-year liberal arts college in Kansas, was named the number 2 two-year college in the country by “Washington Monthly” magazine in 2010. Hesston offers students a supportive and relational community that values immediate leadership and involvement opportunities in all areas of the student experience. Students build a foundation that starts them toward futures of success and service to others, the church and the world.
Tickets for the Feb. 21 performance are $15 and can be purchased at wichitaorpheum.com or through Select-A-Seat by calling 316-755-7328 or at selectaseat.com.
School groups wanting to attend the free Feb. 22 performance should contact Hesston College at 866-437-7866 and The Orpheum Theatre at 316-263-0884 to reserve seating. The program is best suited for middle school and high school age students.