May

O'Connell & Company Productions proudly presents the WNY Premiere of
Black Pearl Sings! A play with music, by Frank Higgins

Performances are MARCH 4-28, 2010

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. - O'Connell & Company Productions in residence at Erie Community College North Campus, proudly presents Black Pearl Sings!, a resonant exploration of song, race and culture in America by Frank Higgins. The song is the story. In the midst of the Great Depression, Susannah Mullally travels the country, recording lost traditional songs for the Library of Congress. Hoping to find the one song that will bring her long-awaited recognition, she discovers Pearl Johnson in a Texas prison. With a soulful voice and a wealth of African-American spiritual songs, Pearl seeks information and a chance at freedom. Now each woman must decide how much of herself she is willing to give to get what she wants in return.

The O'Connell & Company production of Black Pearl Sings! is directed by Kathleen Gaffney, and the cast includes Mary Craig as Alberta “Pearl” Johnson and Mary Kate O'Connell as Susannah Mullally.

Show dates & times are: March 4-28, 2010, Thursday (opening night is the only Thursday performance), Friday, Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm.
Performances are at O'CONNELL & COMPANY in residence at ERIE COMMUNITY COLLEGE-North Campus in GLEASNER HALL, 6205 Main St., Williamsville, NY 14221. (Theatre entrance on Youngs between Main & Wehrle)

Adult tickets are $20; students & seniors are $15; ECC Community tickets are $12.50.

The Dinner & Theatre Package: $45 Before the show, enjoy a gourmet dinner prepared at:
THE STATLER ERIE ROOM: ECC North Campus Hospitality Management Department
Or CITTA' DI MILITELLO, 760 Wehrle Dr., at the corner of Union Rd. (Gold's Gym Plaza - a 5minute drive to the theatre)

Black Pearl sings! Was originally developed at the Barter Theater, Richard Rose, Artistic Director.
Premiered at Stages Repertory Theater, Kenn McLaughlin, Artistic Director and is presented through The Luedtke Agency and Penny Luedtke. This production is a creative collaboration with The Paul Robeson Theatre.

Tickets and reservations are available by calling (716) 848-0800 or can be ordered online at www.OConnellandCompany.com






EXPERIENCE O'CONNELL & COMPANY
in residence at ECC NORTH CAMPUS

Opening on March 4th and running through March 28th
BLACK PEARLS SINGS!
An WNY Premiere!
A powerful, honest & wryly funny story of two women from radically
different backgrounds & the music that unites them
starring
Mary Craig and Mary Kate O'Connell
directed by Kathleen Gaffney