I’ve admire Alfred Preisser since catching his direction of Roland Wolf’s “The Power Of The Trinity” at Summerstage in 2012, a difficult play with music added by Tomas Doncker, that was a hit and miss affair but a relative success with a very limited amount of room maneuver. The following year, the hip hop “King Kong” was a knock out concept and a fair book derailed by poor music.
Both works were impressive but still in progress, neither one felt completed, and the best of the three arrived later in 2013: “Diablo Love” gave Doncker the impetus for his Howlin’ Wolf covers album and stood up as a brilliant conceptualization for the devil at the crossroads so much the heart of the blues.
But for Christmas Preisser is tackling God from the other side:
“Soul Nativity 2014 at
Harlem School of the Arts (HSA)
Presented by the Theater Department
December 12 – 14 & December 19 – 21
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Soul Nativity was born and incubated at The Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) over a period of fourteen years. The musical co-writers, Tracy Jack and Alfred Preisser, met at the school in the late 90’s and since have collaborated on over thirty professional and student projects, including productions of Soul Nativity in various incarnations at The Theatre of St. Clements, The Duke on 42nd Street, and multiple versions at The HSA Theatre. A joyous pageant for all ages and perfect for anyone who loves music, dance and the holiday season, Soul Nativity has garnered rave reviews and sold out houses wherever it has been performed.
Soul Nativity will run on the weekends of Friday, December 12 – 14 and Friday December 19 – 21*. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the doors ($15 students/ seniors). Tickets can be purchased at: http://hsanyc.org/soul-nativity/. The show will take place at HSA’s Theater, which is located at: HSA, 645 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York NY 10030.
The piece tells the story of the Nativity in an innovative and musically charged way, employing a score heavily influenced by classic R&B and Soul acts. As part of HSA’s season dedicated to Harlem, all of the musical arrangements are inspired by famous acts that have played the Apollo.
The show features no fewer than 26 HSA theatre and dance students, musical direction from Jeffrey Bolding (of the Abyssinian Baptist Church) guest appearances from The Daughter’s of the Flame of the Abyssinian Baptist Church, the incredible music of Tomas Doncker and Global Soul, and the Harlem Japanese Gospel Choir.”
