MOTHER EMANUEL: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL PLAY to Premiere at New Freedom Theatre

New Freedom Theatre continues their 50th Year with the award winning new work, Mother Emanuel: An American Musical Play - Inspired By the Life and Legacy of the Emanuel Nine, running June 14-25th at Freedom Theatre (1346 N. Broad Street).

Written by Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, Adam Mace, and Christian Lee Branch, and directed by Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, the ensemble includes Christopher Augustin, Christian Lee Branch, Lauren Morgan, and Sabriaya Shipley. Mother Emanuel tackles the difficult and persistent issue of gun violence in America, continuing the efforts of New Freedom Theatre to produce social justice based work.

A preview of the work will be held and open to the public on Wednesday, June 14th, with opening night following on Thursday, June 15th. Performances will be held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 PM, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 PM. There will be a special student matinee at 11 AM on Thursday, June 22nd. Tickets are $35 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. You can purchase your tickets online at www.freedomtheatre.org or by calling the box office at 888-802-8998.

Mother Emanuel: An American Musical Play made its world premiere at the 2016 New York International Fringe Festival, where it won the award for Best Overall Production of a Musical.

This docu-drama with music brings the audience into the Wednesday night Bible Study at which the tragic shooting occurred, portraying the last 80 minutes of the lives of Pastor Clementa Pinckney, Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Cynthia Graham Hurd, Myra Thompson, Ethel Lee Lance, Susie Jackson, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel L Simmons, and Sharonda Coleman Singleton. Through the use of testimony, flashbacks, and song, the audience gets to remember and learn who these people were in their life, and what legacies they left behind. With former President Barack Hussein Obama's remarks, the significance of the shooting is made all the more clear.

New Freedom Theatre's 50th Anniversary Season will be rounded out after Mother Emanuel by the iconic Tony Award-winning musical Dreamgirls (opening July 26th).

Founded by John E. Allen, Jr. in 1966, New Freedom Theatre is Pennsylvania's oldest African American theater and one of only four in the nation whose mission supports the African American dramatic arts, producing both new and established plays. New Freedom Theatre is housed in the historic Edwin Forrest Mansion at the corner of Broad Street and Master Street in Philadelphia, PA.