Capathia Jenkins and Louis Rosen Celebrate Maya Angelou with 'Phenomenal Woman' March 20 and 27

Capathia Jenkins, who recently played The Washing Machine in the Tony-nominated Broadway musical CAROLINE, OR CHANGE and has also received raves for her roles in THE CIVIL WAR and THE LOOK OF LOVE, will join award-winning composer LOUIS ROSEN for a new musical evening called "PHENOMENAL WOMAN," celebrating the poetry of Maya Angelou. This evening is a fresh blending of contemporary American song styles, deeply rooted in jazz, blues and popular music. 'Phenomenal Woman' will have its World Premiere at Joe's Pub in March 20th and 27th at 7 PM. In addition to Mr. Rosen's twelve-song suite set to the words of the world-renowned poet-writer Maya Angelou, the evening also includes songs from "Dream Suite," set to the words of Langston Hughes, Mr. Rosen's "BOOK OF THE NIGHT" which has been seen off-Broadway and at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, and his "South Side Songs." Louis Rosen and Capathia Jenkins will be joined by pianist David Loud at Joe's Pub at The Public Theatre, 425 Lafayette Street. There is a $20 cover with a two drink minimum.

For reservations call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.joespub.com for more information.

Louis Rosen said: "Capathia is a deeply soulful and expressive singer, sexy, earthy, and yet refined, much like Maya Angelou's poetry. I wanted to write for Capathia from the moment I first heard her sing, and Angelou's words seemed a perfect fit. That's how the song suite, "Phenomenal Woman," was born." And Capathia Jenkins said: "Louie has a fresh, wide-ranging style, and the ability to be spot-on in capturing the emotional truth of a poem or lyric. It's thrilling to sing the songs he writes for me. They're exciting, and challenging, and they fit me to a T. Doing this show together is a dream come true."

MAYA ANGELOU, American author, poet and playwright, is perhaps best known for her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, about a young black girl growing up during the Great Depression. Louis Rosen said, "Dr. Angelou's moving poetry transcends the black experience to touch us all. Capathia and I were thrilled and honored when she gave "Phenomenal Woman" her approval and blessings, because we were told that she usually rejects the countless requests that come to her from composers seeking permission to set her words to music. Once we had secured her permission, I knew my task was to match, in a contemporary manner, that splendid mix of sophistication and simplicity that makes her work so special and unique."

Capathia Jenkins has appeared in the original Broadway casts of THE CIVIL WAR, THE LOOK OF LOVE and CAROLINE, OR CHANGE and in the recent Off-Broadway revival of GODSPELL. National and European tours include DREAMGIRLS, BUBBLIN' BROWN SUGAR, SOPHISTOCATED RHYTHMS and UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT and she has appeared in regional productions of AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' and CHILDREN OF EDEN. Capathia can be seen in the films 'Corn' and 'Marci X.' Her TV credits include "The Practice," "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU," "Third Watch" and "The Sopranos." In addition to her own CD "INTRODUCING CAPATHIA" she can be heard on the soundtracks of Chicago, Legally Blonde 2. She recently starred in CAROLINE, OR CHANGE in LA and SF.

Composer/lyricist/librettist and author LOUIS ROSEN's works for the theater include BOOK OF THE NIGHT (music and co-libretto), directed by Robert Falls at the Goodman Theater, Chicago (1991), and Greenwich Street Theater, NYC (1997); A CHILD'S GARDEN (music and co-libretto) at The Melting Pot Theater, NYC (2000); and the forthcoming THE PEARL (music), adapted from a novella by John Steinbeck, to be directed by Doug Hughes. He is also the author of the non-fiction book THE SOUTH SIDE: THE RACIAL TRANSFORMATION OF AN AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD.

New York Concerts devoted to Mr. Rosen's songs include 'From the South Side: Songs of Louis Rosen' at Joe's Pub, 'Capathia Jenkins at Joe's Pub' and 'The Music of Louis Rosen' at the 92nd Street Y. Singers who have performed or recorded his songs include Mandy Patinkin, Darius de Haas, Jessica Molaskey, Phillip Officer, LaChanze, Karen Mason, Alton Fitzgerald White and Ms. Jenkins, among many others.

His musical scores for plays have been heard on and off-Broadway at Lincoln Center, Roundabout, Circle in the Square (Broadway), The Public and at the Delacorte in Central Park, as well as at major regional theaters around the country. Mr. Rosen has been the recipient of the $25,000 Gilman and Gonzalez-Falla Musical Theater Award; an NEA New American Works Grant; the Sloan Foundation Galileo Award; thirteen ASCAP Awards; five fellowships from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts; Chicago's John W. Schmid Award for Best New Work, Book of the Night; and the MAC Song of the Year nomination for Seventeen On Mars.