"Rhapsody in Black"

Written and performed by Leland Gantt and developed at NYC’s Actors Studio by Estelle Parsons, Rhapsody in Black is a one-man show that explores one man's personal journey to understand and eventually transcend racism in America. We follow his life story—from an underprivileged childhood in the ghettos of McKeesport, Pennsylvania to teenage experiments with crime and drugs to scholastic achievement and an acting career that land adult LeLand in situations where he is virtually the only African American in the room. Multiple elements combine to give Rhapsody its super-powered emotional punch, many of them concentrated in the incredible persona of its star.

A 60-minute version Rhapsody in Black will be available to stream beginning April 10th, leading up to an in-person performance live at The Lyric Theatre on Friday April 15th at 8:00 PM, followed by a talkback.

Charting one man's odyssey through the juggernaut that is racism in America, Rhapsody in Black is a prismatic look at life on the color line--a poignant, enraging, and often hilarious travelogue through the psyche of the perpetual "other," as he spends a lifetime struggling with what it means to be black and finally comes to understand what it means to be a man. A blistering indictment of tribalism in all forms, Rhapsody in Black deconstructs notions of race and identity--provoking thought, realigning perspectives, and sparking precisely the sort of conversation we all really need to be having right about now.

Charming, self-deprecatingly funny, linguistically awesome, Leland Gantt imbues every word that falls from his mouth with all the passion and poignancy of a preacher speaking the Gospel. This is partly because he’s confronting heavy subjects, but mostly because he believes so firmly in his message that it’s impossible for it to emerge any other way. In his own words, “Objective truth strikes a chord.”

As a society today we are all culpable; caught up in enabling this demon racism, letting it pervade every aspect of American life to such deleterious effect as to actually stymie the efforts of a President to govern. But, now--most ESPECIALLY in this Post-Trump era--we need to talk; illuminate our similarities and celebrate our differences; understand and appreciate EVERYONE’S contributions to this country, accept and forgive, ourselves and each other, for past transgressions.