ABOUT THE SHOW
Written and performed by LeLand Gantt, directed by Estelle Parsons, and developed at NYC’s Actors Studio, Rhapsody in Black is a one-man show that explores LeLand’s personal journey to understand and eventually transcend racism in America.
We follow his spellbinding life story—from a financially distressed childhood in a rough neighborhood in working class McKeesport, Pennsylvania, to teenage experiments with crime and drugs, to scholastic achievement and an acting career that land adult LeLand in situations where he is virtually the only African-American in the room. How he manages to cope with the various psychological effects of consistently being marked "The Other" is recounted with authenticity and integrity in remarkable and exquisitely moving detail, guaranteed to leave lasting impressions.
Charming, self-deprecatingly funny, and linguistically awesome, LeLand Gantt imbues every word that falls from his mouth with all the passion and poignancy of a preacher speaking the Gospel.
About LeLand Gantt, Actor and Writer
Born and raised in McKeesport, PA, LeLand Gantt is a working actor based in New York City where he is a member of Actors Studio. Credits include Two Trains Running and Radio Golf (Syracuse Stage); Walter Mosley’s The Fall of Heaven, world premier (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park); Gem of the Ocean (Arena Stage), Jitney (Pittsburgh Public Theater), and In Walks Ed (Longwharf Theater).
Off-Broadway/Broadway: Slippery When Wet (La Mama), Another Man's Poison (Peter Jay Sharpe Theater), OyamO's Killa Dilla and Let Me Live (Drama Desk and Audelco Award nominee for Featured Actor), and the revival of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (u/s Rock Dutton).
Film and television credits include: Miracle at St. Anna, Requiem for a Dream, Malcolm X, Presumed Innocent, Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, J.A.G., and HBO's The Affair.
About Estelle Parsons, Director
Estelle Parsons won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1967 for her role as Blanche Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde. Among her most noted television roles she plays Roseanne’s mother on the award-winning sitcom Roseanne. She played the title role in Miss Margarita’s Way on Broadway and the national tour, and Violet Weston in August: Osage County on Broadway and the national tour.
Ms. Parson’s directing credits include: a multi-cultural Anthony and Cleopatra described as “the most exciting and innovative presentation in English since Peter Brook’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Belasco Theater;” Flaubert’s Madam Bovary adapted by Adrienne Kennedy at the Signature Theater, NYC; Oedipus the King (Yeats adaptation) and Salome: The Reading (Oscar Wilde) with Al Pacino on Broadway and the National tour. Nominated four times for the Tony Award, Ms. Parsons was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2004.
RHAPSODY IN BLACK — SIZZLE REEL
RHAPSODY IN BLACK — BEYOND THE STAGE
“I just want to thank you for bringing Leland Gantt’s performance to Stowe on Thursday. I thought it was a phenomenal evening. I am a huge Broadway fan and see lots of shows; I thought his show was of Broadway quality with the most powerful, thought-provoking content.”
Photo Gallery
PRESS
“You could have heard a pin drop.”
- “Theater roundup: PICT's Woman in Black; LeLand Gantt's Rhapsody in Black,“ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Sharon Eberson, 11/18/2019
“This show reaffirms humanity.”
- “McKeesport’s Own LeLand Gantt to Perform at August Wilson Center, Nov. 15,“ New Pittsburgh Courier, Genea L. Webb, 11/13/2019
“There is anger and comedy in his stories, as well as charisma.”
- “Review: Rhapsody in Black Poses Serious Question,“ Lincoln Journal Star, Larry Kubert, 12/13/2017
“Beyond its unquestionably potent insights into the vagaries of racism, Rhapsody draws its real strength and universal resonance from investigating the impact of low self-esteem on our psyches.”
- “Discriminating Taste: Rhapsody in Black Puts Audiences on the Path to Transcending Racism,“ Huffington Post, Jaime Lubin, 12/6/2017
“…when you embrace the humanity in yourself, you can see it in others.”
- “Embrace the Humanity: An Interview with LeLand Gantt,” Honeysuckle, Alex Miller, 2017
“…race relations are still fraught with tension, making this conversation one that the public should engage in.”
- “Rhapsody in Black Confronts Race Relations in America,” PressConnects (USA Today), 2/24/2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Edward Schoelwer, Red Shell Mgmt
Tel + (646) 495-1564 / eschoelwer@redshellmgmt.org
Attachments:
Photos of LeLand Gantt (courtesy of artist)
Graphic for Rhapsody in Black
EPK for Rhapsody in Black
13 AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTS INSTITUTIONS COME TOGETHER TO COMMISSION RHAPSODY IN BLACK VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE
Poignant One-Man Show Addresses Racial Issues
The highly anticipated virtual version of Rhapsody in Black, an impactful touring one-man show about racism, the myriad inequities faced by Blacks in our society, and challenges of straddling the color line, written and performed by New York City-based actor LeLand Gantt, is now available for streaming in North America and world-wide. Harrowing, incredible, often hilarious, and always authentic, Rhapsody is a stellar EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) consciousness-raising theater-piece. The work, which made its debut in 2015, seemed tailor-made to address the racial distress that plagues North America but due to COVID-19 in-person performances are not an option. In response to the need 13 performing arts institutions of varying sizes from around the USA commissioned a filmed version (in various modes for various uses) that will be available until the end of the 2020 – 2021 season. As a virtual production its artistry and its message will be experienced by tens of thousands more people than would have been possible during its conventional presentation.
The commissioners of the virtual Rhapsody in Black are listed in alphabetical order:
AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas, TX
Bardavon Opera House, Poughkeepsie, NY
Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Capitol Center for the Arts, Concord, NH
Clemens Center, Elmira, NY
Cincinnati Arts Association, Cincinnati, OH
Goodwill Theatre, Johnson City, NY
Lied Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln, NE
Lied Center of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Mahaiwe Performing ArtsCenter, Great Barrington, MA
Ordway Center, St. Paul, MN
Playhouse Square, Cleveland, OH
Stockbridge Theatre, Derry, NH
Additional support for the project came from Ulster Savings Bank Foundation.
The original 90-minute version of Rhapsody in Black was developed under the auspices of New York City’s Actors Studio, with Estelle Parsons as the directorial consultant, and subsequently became a project of Bardavon Opera House. Chris Silva, executive director of the Bardavon Opera House, said, “After we witnessed the show at the Actors Studio we saw how relevant it was and knew immediately we wanted to take it on.” Rhapsody won an Audience Favorite award when Mr. Gantt performed the piece at the 2015 IPAY (International Performing Arts for Youth) conference. The outcome from that experience led LeLand Gantt to develop a 60-minute educational version, suitable for school audiences 13 to 18 years. Since that time the 60-minute version and the 90-minute version of Rhapsody in Black have been performed, along with a Q & A, on tour in theaters in the USA, Canada, and Sweden.
The virtual performance of Rhapsody in Black came about at the request of several performing arts institutions that had previously presented Mr. Gantt’s show on their stages. The outcome has been the filming of the 90-miniute version and the 60-minute educational version; additionally, the educational performance has been edited for asynchronous learning. The virtual Rhapsody was produced by Bardavon Opera House, Chris Silva, executive director and Stephen LaMarca, managing director, with Edward Schoelwer, Red Shell Mgmt as associate producer. It was filmed in mid-September at Bardavon Opera House in Poughkeepsie in observance of health regulations. Says LeLand Gantt about the experience, “Although I have acted in a number of films, I have never actually “made” a film, so translating Rhapsody from stage to screen presented a considerable learning curve. Theatrical and pointed becomes cheesy and “PSA.” Or not. All because of a camera angle. Fascinating stuff!”
The virtual version made its debut on Friday, October 30 at the Stockbridge Theatre, Derry, NH and included a live streamed Q & A with LeLand Gantt and Matt Cahoon, the artistic director of the Stockbridge Theatre. Mr. Cahoon, who was one of the early advocates for the making of the virtual version said, “The value of commissioning the virtual version of Rhapsody in Black is twofold: It allows us to generate conversations within our community and our school about pertinent issues. We are a very homogenous state and a very homogenous school, so we strive to bring diverse voices to our stage. The second reason is that Stockbridge Theatre / PinkertonAcademy believes in doing what we can to make opportunities for artists to interact with our students. And, during this unusual time, it was especially important to support projects that gave performing artists some income.”
The virtual performance of Rhapsody in Black by LeLand Gantt can be licensed by contacting Edward Schoelwer, Red Shell Mgmt at eschoelwer@redshellmgmt.org or by calling (646) 495-1564.
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TESTIMONIALS
“Rhapsody in Black…is a searing portrait of the effects of racism on one multi-talented artist…a powerful and important work. Everyone should see this play.”
“Rhapsody in Black is one of the most profound and searing documents I have encountered about what it feels like to be African-American in America—and the special nuances of what it can feel like to be an African-American man, constructing an identity as a man, an artist, a lover, a husband, friend in the face of such extraordinary pressures. Leland Gantt’s voice is moving and sometimes dazzling, and his performance itself is truly unforgettable. A remarkable actor and a significant piece of work about a genuinely important issue, inadequately explored in our generation in spite of earlier generations’ classics such as Soul On Ice and Invisible Man.”
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
“….puts a huge spotlight on it (racism in our society).”
“…it was so different coming from a real voice than just on the news.”
“…you changed my life.”
“It makes us open our minds to the phenomenon of discrimination, and also how it has affected, or is affecting, our lives.”
“…just the boost I needed to realize I’m going to make it out of high school alive and with all the tools I need within myself to accept me for me!”
“We’ve never heard someone say the things that you did or give the perspective that you gave us.”
“…it didn’t just show relevance to racism, but to being an outsider….”
“The thing that was amazing to me was the after-play Q & A.”
Virtual & live performances
Virtual Performances
Beginning December 1, 2020, in response to COVID-19, three virtual versions of Rhapsody in Black will be available:
Original Version
Captured in broadcast quality with 3-cameras, 90-minutes with no intermission. Live Q & A can be arranged using presenter’s preferred platform (e.g. SKYPE, Zoom, etc.).
School-Time / Educational Version
Captured in broadcast quality with 3-cameras, 60-minutes with no intermission. Live Q & A can be arranged using presenter’s preferred platform (e.g. SKYPE, Zoom, etc.).
NEW! Festival Version of School-Time / Educational Version
Captured in broadcast quality with 3-cameras, divided into 5 segments for asynchronous learning purposes. Segments 1 - 3 encompass the performance of Rhapsody in Black. Segment 4 is a short lesson in how to write your own autobiographical theater piece. Segment 5 is a pre-recorded Q & A arranged with the presenter.
Captured in broadcast quality with 3-cameras, divided into 5 segments for asynchronous learning purposes. Segments 1 - 3 encompass the performance of Rhapsody in Black. Segment 4 is a short lesson in how to write your own autobiographical theater piece. Segment 5 is a pre-recorded Q & A arranged with the presenter.
The virtual performance of Rhapsody in Black was commissioned by the following American performing arts centers:
AT&T Performing Arts Center (Dallas, TX)
Bardavon Opera House (Poughkeepsie, NY)
Broward Center for the Performing Arts (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Capitol Center for the Arts (Concord, NH)
Clemens Center (Elmira, NY)
Cincinnati Arts Association (Cincinnati, OH)
Goodwill Theatre (Johnson City, NY)
Lied Center for the Performing Arts (Lincoln, NE)
Lied Center of Kansas (Lawrence, KS)
Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center (Great Barrington, MA)
Ordway Center (St. Paul, MN)
Playhouse Square (Cleveland, OH)
Stockbridge Theatre (Derry, NH)
Live Performances
The original version of Rhapsody in Black is 90-minutes in length without intermission. It is followed by an audience Q & A led by LeLand Gantt.
The 60-minute school-time / educational version of Rhapsody in Black is designed for junior high school and high school audiences and is performed without an intermission. It concludes with a 20-30 minute Q & A lead by LeLand Gantt. References to alcohol, drugs, and sex are significantly reduced from the 90-minute original version.
book RHAPSODY IN BLACK
To inquire about booking Rhapsody in Black please submit the form below or contact Edward Schoelwer directly at eschoelwer@redshellmgmt.org or 646-495-1564.