FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical Comes to City College Center for the Arts
Performances will run September 24–25, 2025 at 7 pm.
FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical is coming to City College Center for the Arts in Aaron Davis Hall – Marian Anderson Theater on September 24–25, 2025 at 7 pm. Presented as a staged concert, this musical event explores the true story of the interracial group of young activists who risked their lives in 1961 to challenge segregation and ignite a national movement. Through powerful music, compelling narrative, and vivid historical context, Freedom Riders transform one of the most pivotal chapters of the Civil Rights Movement into a powerful musical experience.
This special presentation will also honor changemakers of today with the John Lewis Award of Freedom, an award recognizing individuals whose work embodies the late Congressman’s lifelong fight for justice, equality, and nonviolent change. The recipients will be celebrated for carrying forward the legacy of the Freedom Riders and Lewis himself, who famously praised the musical as “very accurate” and said it “brought tears to [his] eyes.” “I walked out of the theater with the same feeling I had when I first saw Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen.” — Yes! Broadway.
The concert is directed by Richard Allen, an award-winning composer, filmmaker, and playwright, and musically directed by conductor and composer Ahmed Alabaca, with book by Richard Allen and music and lyrics by Richard Allen and Taran Gray. Freedom Riders was honored with Best Music at the 2017 New York Musical Festival, alongside multiple other NYMF accolades. It has since gained national attention for its emotional resonance and historical precision.
This September marks a new chapter for the musical, as it is presented at City College for the first time. The event is expected to draw civic leaders, educators, and community voices in celebration of both artistry and activism.
Freedom Riders: The Civil Rights Musical dramatizes the story of the 1961 Freedom Rides — a series of integrated bus rides through the American South designed to test and defy segregation laws. Facing violent mobs, unjust arrests, and a federal government slow to intervene, these college-age activists changed the course of American history through nonviolent protest and unwavering resolve. With a dynamic original score that blends gospel, folk, and contemporary musical theatre, the show elevates both the pain and the power of that moment — making it essential viewing for audiences today.
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