(KNOXVILLE, TN) - Marble City Opera will present the Tennessee premiere of dwb (driving while black) on October 11 and 12, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Old City Performing Arts Center, 111 State Street, Knoxville. Tickets are available at MarbleCityOpera.com/tickets
dwb (driving while black) is a one-act, one-woman opera that was composed in 2018 by Susan Kander with a libretto by Roberta Gumbel. The main character is a mother contemplating the dangerous world beyond a parent’s control as her son reaches driving age.
The role of the mother will be sung by soprano Allison Sanders. Cremaine Booker will be the music director and play cello. David Verin will play percussion. Sanders, Booker and Verin performed dwb (driving while black) together at Opera Birmingham in 2023. The stage director will be Ivan Griffin, who also directed Marble City Opera’s production of The Christmas Spider in January.
Kathryn Frady, Marble City Opera’s Executive Artistic Director, said, “I became aware of dwb shortly after Marble City Opera’s world premiere performances of I Can’t Breathe by Leslie Burrs and Brandon Gibson in 2022. With dwb (driving while black), we are continuing to tell stories of underrepresented artists and communities.”
Brandon Gibson performed with Marble City Opera from its inception, became Managing Director in 2017, and continued in the position until his sudden passing in 2022. He sang the lead role of Beauford Delaney in the world premiere of Shadowlight by Larry Delinger and Emily Anderson in 2020. Gibson wrote the libretto for I Can't Breathe. Marble City Opera is honoring his legacy by beginning an endowment in his memory to continue the sustainability of the organization that he helped grow.
Marble City Opera brings world class singers, directors, and conductors to the stage while maintaining a dedication to creating opportunities for local, regional, and emerging artists. Marble City Opera is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with strong community ties and connections to other organizations, businesses, schools, and artists within Knoxville, and the East Tennessee community.