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DAMIEN SNEED COMPOSER KAREN CHILTON LIBRETTIST DENYCE GRAVES-MONTGOMERY DIRECTOR
JOSEPH PARRISH H ANDREW MORSTEIN H Christian pursell
CHORUS OLANNA GOUDEAU H PATRICE P. EATON H JUSTIN Bel l MODERATOR





Welcome! And, may I add, congratulations. You are attending one of New York’s and America’s essential meeting houses, music venues and cultural institutions. I know that you will find the Town Hall Presents programming you are attending tonight to be timely and compelling. And each of our productions is an expression of our commitment to bring you significant, unique, eclectic and down right delightful events throughout the calendar year.
Welcome! And, may I add, congratulations. You are attending one of New York’s and America’s essential meeting houses, music venues and cultural institutions. I know that you will find the Town Hall Presents programming you are attending tonight to be timely and compelling. And each of our productions is an expression of our commitment to bring you significant, unique, eclectic and down right delightful events throughout the calendar year.
There is no place like The Town Hall. Founded “to promote good citizenship, social justice and general enlightenment through the education and expression of public opinion,” our hall’s world-class acoustics quickly became a calling card, and for over a century, playing The Town Hall stage continues to be a ‘must’ for musicians and singers from all genres and backgrounds.
There is no place like The Town Hall. Founded “to promote good citizenship, social justice and general enlightenment through the education and expression of public opinion,” our hall’s world-class acoustics quickly became a calling card, and for over a century, playing The Town Hall stage continues to be a ‘must’ for musicians and singers from all genres and backgrounds.
Whether visiting our storied auditorium for the first time, or returning to experience yet another great night live on our stage, you can feel the vitality in the room. The Town Hall is truly contemporary; purpose-built to open its doors to art, ideas and especially to you.
Whether visiting our storied auditorium for the first time, or returning to experience yet another great night live on our stage, you can feel the vitality in the room. The Town Hall is truly contemporary; purpose-built to open its doors to art, ideas and especially to you.
Upon its dedication in 1921, The League for Political Education opened the building you are now sitting in with the watchwords:
Upon its dedication in 1921, The League for Political Education opened the building you are now sitting in with the watchwords:
“It does not matter who you are, what you are, or from where you come, you are welcome.”
“It does not matter who you are, what you are, or from where you come, you are welcome.”
As president of the non-profit organization that preserves our landmarked auditorium and produces the Town Hall Presents events like the one you are attending tonight, I thank you for coming to The Town Hall. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, and our incredible staff of professionals, I echo the sentiment of our founders and assure you that you are always welcome here.
As president of the non-profit organization that preserves our landmarked auditorium and produces the Town Hall Presents events like the one you are attending tonight, I thank you for coming to The Town Hall. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, and our incredible staff of professionals, I echo the sentiment of our founders and assure you that you are always welcome here.

Nevin Steinberg
President
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2025 • 7PM
Commissioned by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Composer | Damien Sneed
Librettist | Karen Chilton
Director | Denyce Graves-Montgomery
Conductor | Damien Sneed
CAST OF CHARACTERS
BALDWIN | Joseph Parrish
BUCKLEY | Andrew Morstein
ADJUDICATOR | Christian Pursell
ORCHESTRA OF TOMORROW
VIOLIN 1
Messiah Ahmed , concertmaster
Tiani Butts
VIOLIN 2
Justus Ross
Chiara Fasi
VIOLA
Aundrey Mitchell
Cameren Williams
PIANO
Eric Sedgwick
DOUBLE BASS
Kebra-Seyoun Charles
CHAMBER CHORUS CHORALE LE CHATEAU
Olanna Goudeau | Soprano
Briana Sheriff | Soprano
Chenee Campbell | Alto
Patrice Pates Eaton | Alto
CELLO
Aaron Stokes
Boubacar Diallo
PERCUSSION
Christian McGhee
Scott Still
Alex Alfaro
Justin E. Bell | Tenor
Kaleb Alexander Hopkins | Tenor
Sean Holland II | Baritone
Angelo D. Johnson Jr. | Bass
HOST
Dr. Frank Leon Roberts
CLOSING REMARKS
Trevor Baldwin
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Dustin Z West
COSTUME TEAM
Jason A. Goodwin | Costume Designer
Eliana Yost | Sticher
Dianela Gil | Wardrobe Supervisor
GRAPHICS
The Artistic Team of The Tongue & The Lash acknowledges the Graphic Design of Carol Bobolts
Red Herring Design rhdnyc.com
CREATIVE ADVISORY & PRODUCTION SUPPORT
RTS Advisory, LLC
PR
Gwendolyn Quinn
Gwendolyn Quinn Public Relations
Thanks to Opera America for rehearsal space
ORCHESTRA CONTRACTOR
Damien Sneed
HAIR & WIGS
The Artistic Team of The Tongue & The Lash acknowledges the contribution of Hair & Wig Designer Tom Watson.
VIDEO EDITING
Karen Chilton
Video from the Baldwin-Buckley debate has been edited for the purposes of the opera. The full debate can be seen via AEON VIDEO online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tek9h3a5wQ
SUPERNUMERARY COORDINATION
Gregory Sheppard Artists
SUPERNUMERARIES
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music New York University
Artistic Director | Melay Araya
Programming Manager | Gloria Lee
Production Manager | Carl Acampora
Production Facilitator | RTS Advisory, LLC
Production Designer | Greg Emetaz
Prop Master | Olivia Vidato
Surtitles Operator | Cori Ellison
Assistant to Ms. Graves-Montgomery | Megan Miller
Technical Director | Bill Dehling
Sound Engineer | Michael Murphy
Lighting Designer | Matthew Konklin
Projectionist | Raphael Krueger Cortés
A/V Director | Mark Braverman
Video Director | JT Doran
It is a profound honor to join the artistic team of The Tongue & The Lash as its director, shaping the interpretation, storytelling, and staging of this extraordinary chamber opera. My deepest gratitude to Damien Sneed for entrusting me with this work, and to Karen Chilton, whose libretto has been a joy to explore on so many levels.
Opera has been my life’s work, and directing this piece, one that marks, to the day, the 60th anniversary of the historic debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley, Jr., feels like both a privilege and a calling. Tonight’s performance is part of James Baldwin’s Centenary, a celebration that echoes across New York City, honoring a writer whose relationship with this place was as complex as the times in which he lived.
While inspired by a real event, The Tongue & The Lash is no reenactment. The debate itself has been dissected in books, articles, and dramatic reproductions. But our opera dares something different: an imagined conversation between Baldwin and Buckley after the debate, a place where music and words, words and music, collide in new and unexpected ways.
At the time of their debate, both men were at the height of their influence. Buckley, the founder of The National Review, was a leading voice of American conservatism, one who openly opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Baldwin, by contrast, had already given the world Go Tell It on the Mountain, Giovanni’s Room, and The Fire Next Time, works that seared into the American consciousness. One could argue that, in the realm of civil rights, Baldwin stood second only to Martin Luther King, Jr. in cultural impact.
Opera has long been defined by great composer-librettist collaborations Verdi and Piave, Mozart and Da Ponte, Strauss and Hofmannsthal. What Sneed and Chilton have created here belongs in that lineage: a work where language and music are locked in both harmony and contest, just as Baldwin and Buckley were.
I have spent my career as a classical vocalist, living inside the world of music and words, words and music including many new works. In New York, I have sung in Marnie (Muhly/Wright), The Hours (Puts/Pierce), and Grendel (Goldenthal/Taymor); elsewhere, Margaret Garner (Danielpour/Morrison), Three Decembers (Heggie/Scheer), Champion (Cristofer/Blanchard), and The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson (Seaton/Simon). And yet, in recent years, I have found a new artistic exhilaration in directing opera, in shaping time and space to bring a story to life. Few creative experiences compare except, perhaps, the founding of The Denyce Graves Foundation.
Directing demands every sense, every instinct imagining not just the world of the opera, but how to bring it fully into being: the period, the place, the players, the impact. It is my task to guide and inspire artists to their most powerful, truthful performances, to illuminate both character and narrative while singing.
Opera is music and words, words and music. Which comes first? Which holds more truth? Which moves us more deeply? Perhaps that is an unanswerable question. But in The Tongue & The Las h, where Baldwin and Buckley wielded language as both weapon and shield, Sneed and Chilton have crafted a stunning equilibrium, one that will mesmerize and provoke.
Our Baldwin, Joseph Parrish, and our Buckley, Andrew Morstein, are young, world-class voices whose performances will astound you. This entire cast has been an inspiration to meet, and I know their artistry will move you.
Enjoy tonight.
Denyce Graves-Montgomery, Director
When Opera Theatre of Saint Louis commissioned a new work, it was at the height of the pandemic in late 2020. At the time, it seemed inconceivable that creativity was a possibility or that imagination could be stirred. Yet, the sheer brilliance and unrelenting spirit of a literary hero, James Baldwin, and the ferocity of the Cambridge debate itself were too compelling to ignore.
The ideological exchange between these two men was nothing short of grand theater; the subject matter—racial disparity vis-à-vis the ever-elusive ‘American dream’—was indeed fertile ground in which to construct a dramatic work. While I deliberately chose not to disturb the integrity of the actual debate but to write something entirely original, the conceit then became a post-debate conversation informed by the contentious repartee on display that historic night in 1965. A night televised live on the BBC (and later on American TV) that took place amidst the backdrop of a raging civil rights movement in the United States, where weeks later Black activists and righteous allies marched for a third time from Selma to Montgomery, signaling to the American government that the time had truly come for the enactment of the Voting Rights Act. When my collaborative partner, composer/conductor Damien Sneed and I experienced the manifestation of our chamber opera at OTSL in 2021, we bore witness to audiences who leaned in and wanted to keep the conversation going. Thus, Art did what it is meant to do—to provoke and explore, inspire and inform, and perhaps even comfort. Baldwin’s prescient message and Buckley’s resistance to it, urges us, even now, especially now, to reckon with where we are, and how we got here.
Setting: The Cambridge Union Debating Hall. University of Cambridge, England Time: February 18, 1965
Inspired by the historic 1965 debate between cultural giants, James Baldwin and William F. Buckley, Jr. where they argued the motion: Is the American dream at the expense of the American Negro?, THE TONGUE & THE LASH imagines a post-debate conversation after the cameras were off, the crowd had gone...and Baldwin won in a landslide vote. Throughout the chamber opera, the contrast between the two men is on full display as they engage in an intellectual sparring session with pugilistic fervor—Baldwin, a celebrated Black writer and former expatriate, born and raised in Harlem; Buckley, a Yale man from a wealthy family, and a staunch conservative with segregationist sympathies. When Buckley dismisses the debate’s outcome, owing it all to Baldwin’s notoriety, Baldwin seeks to set the record straight. As he holds sway, appealing to his humanity while challenging his patriotism, Buckley’s rigid stance begins to bend.
“As a multi-genre recording artist and instrumentalist, Damien LeChateau Sneed is a pianist, vocalist, organist, composer, conductor, arranger, producer, and arts educator whose work spans multiple genres. He has worked with jazz, classical, pop, and R&B legends, including the late Aretha Franklin and Jessye Norman, Wynton Marsalis, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Ashford & Simpson, Jennifer Holliday, Denyce Graves, Lawrence Brownlee, and many others. In addition, Sneed has served as music director for several Grammy Award–winning gospel artists, including The Clark Sisters, Richard Smallwood, Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, Marvin Sapp, Karen Clark Sheard, and Kim Burrell, among others, and BET’s hit gospel competition, Sunday Best Season 4. Sneed is a 2014 Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient, a 2020 Dove Award winner, and a 2021 NAACP Image Award winner for his work as a featured producer and writer on the Clark Sisters’ project, The Return

Sneed recently joined the esteemed faculty of Howard University and the Juilliard School. His other professional affiliations have included the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music, Berklee School of Music, Michigan State University, the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University, Nyack College, and the City University of New York (CUNY). In 2015, he established the Damien Sneed Foundation Performing Arts Institute. Sneed is the founder and artistic director of Chorale Le Chateau, that has gained a global reputation for vividly interpreting vocal literature, from Renaissance period pieces to art songs to jazz, spirituals, gospel, and avantgarde contemporary music. Sneed is featured in the award-winning PBS documentary Everyone Has a Place starring Wynton Marsalis, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Sneed’s own Chorale Le Chateau, which captures Sneed’s journey as musical conductor of the historic tour performances of Marsalis’s Abyssinian Mass
He has released several projects on his boutique label, LeChateau Earl Records, established in 2009 to reflect his varied musical interests. Some of Sneed’s commissions as a composer include Empower (2018) by Lyric Opera of Chicago; Marian’s Song (2019) by Houston Grand Opera; “The Earth Sings” (2021) by the ASCAP Kingsford Commission; the film score for Testament (2021) by Alvin Ailey Dance Theater; The Tongue and the Lash (2022) by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL); and Treemonisha (2023) also by OTSL, a reimagined adaptation of Scott Joplin’s opera.
As conductor, he has debuted with the Flint Symphony Orchestra, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Stockton Symphony Orchestra, Gateways Music Festival Chamber Players, Harlem Chamber Players Orchestra, and his own ensemble, Orchestra of Tomorrow. Sneed was a featured as a vocal soloist on a new PBS documentary featuring Marsalis’ All Rise Symphony for Chautauqua’s 150th which premiered on February 11, 2025. He was recently signed to Apple Music Classical & Platoon Records (London). His newest recording project, Our Song, Our Story, featuring Metropolitan Opera singers Jacqueline Echols McCarley and Justin Austin, along with the Griot String Quartet and Sneed on piano, will be released Spring 2025 while his second project with Apple Music, Kaleidoscope, featuring the solo piano music of African American composers, will be released in Winter 2025.”
Karen Chilton
Karen Chilton is a New York-based Writer/Actor whose work has been seen in TV/Film and Theater. A native of Chicago’s South Side, she is author of the definitive biography of jazz/classical pianist, Hazel Scott: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist from Café Society to Hollywood to HUAC (Univ. of Michigan Press) which she has recently adapted for both screen and stage; and co-author of I Wish You Love, the memoir of legendary jazz vocalist, Gloria Lynne (St. Martin’s Press).
She is a contributor to Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing: The Apollo Theater and American Entertainment (Smithsonian) and Ain’t But A Few of Us: Black Music Writers Tell Their Story edited by NEA Jazz Master, Willard Jenkins (Duke Univ. Press). Her dramatic works include award-winning stage plays including HEIRLOOM (O’Neill Playwriting Conference-SemiFinalist) and CONVERGENCE (NPT Playwright Award). Her short plays, BLUE CASSIUS and SWITCH! have been produced in the Obie award-winning theater festivals 48 Hours In Harlem and The Fire This Time. She is a Liberation Theatre Company Playwriting Fellow (2020-2021) and a Millay Colony Artist-in-Residence. Her libretti include the recent adaptation of Scott Joplin’s seminal opera Treemonisha in collaboration with composer, Damien Sneed at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (2023); their chamber opera, The Tongue & The Lash had its world premiere at OTSL in 2021 to critical acclaim. She is also an Audie award-winning narrator and voiceover artist. She holds a M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from NYU-Tisch and a B.S. degree in Economics from Bradley University. She has extensive musical training from the American Conservatory of Music in classical piano.
www.karenchilton.com

Renowned for her distinctive voice and captivating stage presence, Denyce Graves-Montgomery has established herself as one of the most celebrated mezzo-sopranos of our time. Beyond her storied career as a performer, she has also made a profound impact as an educator and stage director, inspiring the next generation of opera artists and reshaping the field with her creative vision.
As a teacher, Graves-Montgomery serves as a dedicated mentor, guiding young singers to develop not only their vocal artistry but also their interpretive depth and professionalism. Drawing upon her four and a half decades of extensive experience performing on the world’s premier stages, including The Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, and La Scala, she equips performing artists with the tools to navigate the complexities of a modern operatic career. Known for her nurturing yet exacting approach, she is a sought-after faculty member and masterclass clinician at leading conservatories and training programs worldwide.

In her role as a stage director, Graves-Montgomery brings her deep understanding of character and dramatic storytelling to the forefront. Her productions are characterized by their emotional authenticity, innovative staging, and sensitivity to the nuances of both music and text. As a director, she is deeply invested in creating inclusive narratives, ensuring that opera remains relevant and accessible to contemporary audiences.
Rob Hubbard, For the Minnesota Star Tribune said “There’s an old adage in sports that great players don’t necessarily make great coaches. Leading a team is a gift all its own. But after seeing Minnesota Opera’s “Carmen,” staged by Graves, I can assure you that this star mezzo-soprano has that gift.”
In April 2025, Graves’ next big project is the World Premiere of the operatic retelling of the groundbreaking United States Supreme Court case centered around the interracial marriage of Mildred and Richard Loving in a Co-Commission of “Loving v. Virginia”.
As founder and Artistic Director of The Denyce Graves Foundation, Denyce GravesMontgomery continues to leave an indelible mark on the operatic landscape, fostering excellence while championing the transformative power of the art form.
Joseph Parrish was a recipient of the 2024 Sullivan Grant, a member of the Salzburger Festspiele Young Singers Project for the 2024 festival season, and a third prize winner in the Opera Index Voice Competition 2024. Joseph is a member of the Young Concert Artists roster.
As a Young Concert Artist, Joseph’s 2024-2025 season is filled with auspicious New York City debuts: solo recital debut at Kaufmann Music Center’s Merkin Hall, Lincoln Center Rose Theater debut singing the role of Earl Mann’s Cellmate/Edward Vernon/Ensemble in Davenport Richards’/Cote’s opera Blind Injustice, Oratorio Society of New York debut as bass soloist in Händel’s Messiah at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Debut as Pilate in Bach’s St. John Passion, and the title role of Christus in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion when he debuts with Musica Sacra at Carnegie Hall.

Joseph is an active recitalist, with performances this season at the Cosmos Club in Washington D.C. the Harriman Jewell series in Kansas City, and the Detroit Chamber Music Festival. He gave his first European recital with the Usedomer Musikfestival and sang in the Young Singers Project Final Concert.
Opera performances have included Potapitsch in Prokofiev’s The Gambler, Masetto in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with the Cincinnati Opera and Salieri in RimskyKorsakov’s Mozart e Salieri, the title role in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Dr. Cajus in Nicolai’s Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor and Dulcamara in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore at Juilliard.
He holds degrees from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, and the Juilliard School.
Andrew Morstein, tenor and recent recipient of the Austrian Musiktheater Prize (2023) will make upcoming debuts this season with Central City Opera, Anchorage Opera, and the Boise Philharmonic; and, internationally with Toscanini Orchestra.
Previous operatic appearances include the Salzburg Festival, Wexford Festival Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Pensacola Opera, to name a few.
He has appeared as a soloist with symphonies such as the ORF Radio Orchestra (Austria), New Jersey Symphony Orchestra under Xian Zhang, RTÈ of Ireland, Amarillo Symphony, and more.
He was a member of Theater an der Wien’s Junges Ensemble from 2020-2022 and currently resides in Chicago.


Christian Pursell is a dynamic, impassioned actor with unmatched stage presence, an enthralling, powerful voice, and a mastery of musical genres from baroque to musical theater, including bel canto and romantic opera.
In May 2025, Mr. Pursell debuts the role of Tom in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s opera This House, at Opera Theatre St. Louis. His 2024-2025 season began with his Metropolitan Opera house debut as Sciarrone in Tosca in September. Mr. Pursell released his first art song album, Ferne, in July 2024; the live lieder recital recording is available on IDAGIO, Apple Music, and Spotify. Last season, he added three important roles to his repertoire: Leporello in Don Giovanni (Cincinnati Opera) Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia (Virginia Opera), and the role of Noah at Carnegie Hall (debut) in a concert performance of Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath
In January 2024, Pursell won Fourth Prize, and “Best Baritone” at the Tenor Viñas International Vocal Competition in Barcelona, Spain. He won 2nd prize in the 2024 Concorso Lirico Internazionale Tebaldi-Gigli-Corelli competition.
Olanna Goudeau continues to captivate audiences with her dazzling coloratura, rich lyricism, and crystalline upper range. The Port Arthur, Texas native made her National TV debut on Season 9 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, as one half of the opera duo, ACTE II. Since her appearances on the show she has toured both the US and abroad to great acclaim. Olanna enjoys an active performance schedule as a multi-genre performer. She most recently was a featured soloist for “Uptown Hall”, an MLK Day collaboration between WNYC and the Apollo.
A self-proclaimed multi-passionate, Ms. Goudeau balances a busy life as a singer, mother, corporate administrator, and a certified Life & Business Coach.


Patrice P. Eaton, Mezzo-Soprano is a versatile performer in various musical genres and is a frequent performer of premiere works. Ms. Eaton’s career in opera began as a member of the children’s chorus of both the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Opera.
Most recently she performed as a soloist in Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra at Chautauqua Institution -150, St. Stephen’s Music Festival - Syracuse, NY, Celebrate Black Music - An Afternoon Honoring Julia Perry, Westminster Choir College (NJ), The Dessoff Choir’s Elijah and Handel Made in America with Met Live ArtsMetropolitan Museum of Art. Ms. Eaton has performed with Shanghai Symphony, OnSite Opera, American Opera Projects, Opera Ebony, Syracuse Opera, Spoleto Opera (US), Chelsea Opera, Bronx Opera and Bel Canto at Caramoor. She was a founding member of The American Spiritual Ensemble and is a featured soloist on their first recording, Ole Time Religion. She is also a featured soloist on Blue Engine’s Live Recording of Wynton Marsalis’ The Abyssinian Mas s.
Patrice is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, The Conservatory at Brooklyn College and currently a first-year doctoral student at the CUNY-Graduate Center DMA Program. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity, a Lifetime and National Board Member of the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM) and the Artistic Director of Three on 3 Music.
Passionate about bringing the human experience to life through music, Tenor Justin E. Bell is an emerging artist on operatic and concert stages. This summer, Justin makes his Carnegie Hall debut as the tenor soloist in Haydn’s Paukenmesse (Mass in the Time of War), part of Carnegie Hall’s National Concerts season. He will also be performing as Don Curzio/Basilio in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro at Chautauqua Opera Conservatory.
Bell is invigorated by the collaborative process, and 2024 brought several exciting projects, notably Handel: Made in America at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sojourner with The Dessoff Choirs, and in recital at Manhattan School of Music. As a proud member of the Shared Voices Cohort within The Denyce Graves Foundation, Bell was a featured artist in concert at The Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. He has been privileged to train at The Castleton Music Festival and Aspen Music Festival and School, and is a recent graduate of Manhattan School of Music, where he earned his Master of Music.


Dustin is thrilled to be working on The Tongue and The Lash with Denyce Graves-Montgomery having previously collaborated on The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson. He is a New York-based producer and stage manager of opera, theater, and dance.
Recent credits include The Turn of the Screw (Juilliard), Fidelio, Turandot, Grounded (Washington National Opera), Elizabeth Cree, The Sound of Music, Songbird, (Glimmerglass), West Side Story (Teatro Lirico di Cagliari), Heartbeat Opera’s Fidelio (US Tour), The Ghosts of Versailles (Opéra Royal de Versailles), and JoAnne Akalaitis’ Bad News (Skirball). He is Production Stage Manager for The Glimmerglass Festival.
Upcoming: Dialogues des Carmélites (Juilliard), Porgy and Bess (WNO).

Brianna Sheriff Soprano

Chenee Campbell Alto

Sean Holland II Baritone

Kaleb Alexander Hopkins Tenor

Angelo D. Johnson Jr. Bass
THE JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Foujia Abida
Edwin Aguirre
Kristi Andoni
Maria Bailey
Jessica Bottalico
Christopher Cabrejo
Leya Cordero
Sean Correa
Seeta Deochan-McClain
Carolina Diaz
Julius Grau
Brandon Gomez
D’Amber Gonzalez
Isabella Henderson
Anniesha Henry
Latyesha Henry
Allen Jiany
Julissa Jimenez
Eleana Lavorata
Zoe Liu
Catherine-Melodie Macky
Brianna Molina
Karen Moran
Maria Moran Valez
Valentina Rodriguez
Jaelleana Santiago
Jordan Stroman
Bryona Thomas
David Torres
Katrina Walles
Emily Zweig
THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL
Eloise Fox
Sean Tagariello
NEW YORK UNIVERISTY
Massimo Montgomery
Joshua Poulos
Michael Singer
TUESDAY,
If
Edwidge Danticat
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Dr. Brenda M. Greene
MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE
Dr. Frank Leon Roberts
AMHERST COLLEGE
Matt Brim, PhD
COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND
Nicholas Buccola, PhD
CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE
A Return to Civic Discourse features visionaries and thinkers who explore some of the nation’s most complex challenges—and offer thought-provoking ideas that can help solve them. Panel discussions are followed by lively Q&As from the audience in the hall and those viewing the livestream.
The curriculum for tonight’s panel is available for free. Please contact:
Donna Banks, PhD Director of Development dbanks@thetownhall.org

thetownhall.org/events/series/a-return-to-civic-discourse

| Columbia University
Edwidge Danticat is the author of several books, including Breath, Eyes, Memory, an Oprah Book Club selection, Krik? Krak!, a National Book Award finalist, The Farming of Bones, The Dew Breaker, Brother, I’m Dying, Create Dangerously, Claire of the Sea Light, The Art of Death, Everything Inside, a Reese’s Book Club selection and National Book Critics Circle Awards winner. She is also the editor of The Butterfly’s Way: Voices from the Haitian Dyaspora in the United States, Best American Essays 2011, Haiti Noir, and Haiti Noir 2. She has written seven books for children and young adults: Anacaona, Behind the Mountains, Eight Days, The Last Mapou, Mama’s Nightingale, Untwine, My Mommy Medicine, and a travel narrative, After the Dance. Her memoir, Brother, I’m Dying, was a 2007 finalist for the National Book Award and a 2008 winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography.
She is a 2009 MacArthur Fellow, a 2018 Ford Foundation “Art of Change” fellow, the winner of the 2018 Neustadt International Prize, the 2019 St. Louis Literary Award, the 2011 Bocas Nonfiction Prize and 2020 Bocas Fiction Prize, the 2020 Vilcek Prize for Literature, a 2020 United States Artists Fellow, a two-time winner of The Story Prize, and the 2023 PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story. Her essay collection, We’re Alone, was published in September 2024. She teaches at Columbia University.
Dr. Brenda M. Greene is professor of English and founder and executive director emeritus of the Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College, CUNY. Professor Greene’s research and scholarship include African American literature, composition, and multicultural literature. She has edited several books that include The African Presence and Influence on the Cultures of the Americas, Resistance and Transformation: Conversations with Black Writers, and Rethinking American Literature and written extensive essays and book reviews in English Studies. For more information, visit www.drbrendamgreene.com


Dr. Frank Leon Roberts is a writer, activist, scholar, and award-winning political organizer. A veteran racial justice activist, he is the co-founder of the National Black Justice Coalition and former special assistant to the late civil rights attorney Johnnie Cochran. Dr. Roberts is the co-editor, with poet Marvin K. White, of the classic activist anthology If We Have To Take Tomorrow. A professor of English and Black Studies at Amherst College, Dr. Roberts received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from NYU where he was named Alumni of the Year in 2020 during the height of his organizing efforts in the wake of the George Floyd protests. A scholar of African American literature, art, and politics—he is an expert on the life and legacy of writer James Baldwin who is the subject of his forthcoming book, James Baldwin’s Critical Stages. Dr. Roberts sits on the Advisory Board for both the James Baldwin Project (founded by filmmaker Karen Thorsen) and The Baldwin Institute. In addition, he is the Scholarly Research Editor for the forthcoming Baldwin 100 Digital Archive Project, a collaborative partnership between The Kinfolk Tech Foundation and Google, Inc. Dr. Roberts is also the founder and executive director of The Baldwin Hansberry Project, an award-winning nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve and promote Baldwin’s legacy in the Harlem community and beyond. Since its founding, The Baldwin Hansberry Project has received philanthropic support from The Roddenberry Foundation and Kate & Steven Spielberg, among other major sources. His popular Apple podcast Finding James Baldwin tells the story of Baldwin’s early New York City roots. A proud Native Son of New York City, he lives in Harlem and Amherst, Massachusetts.
Matt Brim is Professor of Queer Studies at the College of Staten Island and the CUNY Graduate Center. He is author of James Baldwin and the Queer Imagination and serves as associate editor for the James Baldwin Review. Brim’s other books include Poor Queer Studies: Confronting Elitism in the University and Imagining Queer Methods. He has published in venues including Feminist Theory, the Journal of Homosexuality, the Journal of Modern Literature, the Gay and Lesbian Review, and The Baffler, and he wrote an interactive online study guide for teaching the HIV/AIDS documentary film United in Anger: A History of ACT UP, directed by Jim Hubbard. Brim is currently Executive Director of CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies, the first university-based LGBTQ research center in the U.S.


Nicholas Buccola, PhD is the award-winning author of The Fire Is Upon Us: James Baldwin, William F. Buckley Jr., and the Debate over Race in America (Princeton University Press, 2019) and The Political Thought of Frederick Douglass: In Pursuit of American Liberty (New York University Press, 2012). He is also the editor of The Essential Douglass: Selected Writings and Speeches (Hackett, 2016) and Abraham Lincoln and Liberal Democracy (University Press of Kansas, 2016). His next book, One Man’s Freedom: Goldwater, King, and the Struggle over an American Ideal, will be published by Princeton University Press in October 2025. He is co-editor, with Susan McWilliams Barndt and Roosevelt Montás, of The Princeton History of American Political Thought, which will be published in 2026. His essays have been published in scholarly journals, including The Review of Politics and American Political Thought, as well as popular outlets such as The New York Times, Salon, and Dissent. He is the Dr. Jules L. Whitehill Professor of Humanism and Ethics at Claremont McKenna College.
Trevor Baldwin was born, raised and currently lives in New York City. His father Wilmer, brother of James Baldwin, taught guitar at Harlem School of the Arts and his mother Helen was a CUNY professor and the Executive Director of Minisink Townhouse and Camp. Surrounded by arts and infused with education as a cultural foundation, Trevor is an offspring of Harlem’s rich heritage.
A graduate of The Fieldston School, Morehouse College and New York Film Academy, Trevor works in public relations. He is also a screenwriter and producer with multiple projects in development. As a writer, he’s contributed to various online publications including Gawker, Blavity, VIBE, Global Grind, NewsOne and the Huffington Post

In 2014, for his uncle’s 90th anniversary, Trevor coordinated the street naming of “James Baldwin Place” on the Harlem block where Uncle Jimmy and all his siblings attended elementary school. The ceremony occurred shortly after the death of his Godmother, Dr. Maya Angelou, who had planned to be the keynote speaker at the event. He later began working with Dr. Angelou’s estate on media-related properties such as the PBS documentary Maya Angelou and Still I Rise.
Trevor played a key role in the Apollo Theater premiere of If Beale Street Could Talk and partnered with other Baldwin celebrations as a family ambassador. Working with the estates of two literary icons has made him a natural purveyor of legacy as their inspirational lives and contributions have become increasingly more relevant in today’s society.
In honor of his uncle’s centennial, Trevor formed a family committee to help usher global celebrations, establish a digital footprint and spearheaded initiatives with corporate and cultural institutions. Partnerships include the New York Public Library, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, National Museum of African-American History and Culture, Google, The Ford Foundation, Fremantle and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. In conjunction with Penguin Random House, he executive produced the Baldwin 100 Podcast, a series examining the author’s work and personal life in discussion with luminary guests such as Eddie Glaude, Jr., Roxanne Gay and Billy Dee Williams. Future projects include guiding the Baldwin 101 initiative, a call to return to James Baldwin’s core works and share their continued resonance with the world, in 2025.
Trevor recently founded Baldwin United, a family-operated non-profit family Collective Action Fund created to promote their uncle’s legacy through art, literacy and social justice. The organization officially launched at a Lincoln Center celebration on August 2, 2024— Uncle Jimmy’s 100th birthday.
Website: jamesbaldwin.info | Instagram: @jamesbaldwin_100








FEB 22
Shovel Knight: Steel Thy Concert
An epic celebration featuring the most beloved tunes from the legendary Shovel Knight series. In partnership with Soho Live

FEB 25
Stream Big: The Triumphs and Turmoils of Twitch
Join video game journalist Nathan Grayson for a celebration of his new book
FEB 28
Keeping The Faith: Celebrating 30 Years of Music & Entertainment with singer/ songwriter Faith Evans
Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Faith Evans celebrated by artists across multiple genres, performing some of Faith’s classic hit songs.
MAR 8
Judy Collins & Friends: 85 Years of Music & Protest
Celebrate the legendary Judy Collins’ 85th Birthday with a star-studded concert dir. by Grammy-winning songwriter and producer Russ Titelman.

MAR 29
Yoko Kanno Live!
Kanno’s most revered and personally beloved compositions. feat. Logan Richardson’s Blues People Big Bang and works from Cowboy Bebop
APR 5
An Evening with T Bone Burnett
T Bone Burnett returns to The Town Hall for a special stop on his first U.S. concert tour in almost twenty years.
APR 19
Philip Glass Ensemble: Naqoyqatsi
Live Scoring of the 3rd and final installment in Godfrey Reggio’s Qatsi trilogy.
MAY 30
Tokyo Ghoul 10th Anniversary Concert
Feat. The Sinfonietta, Led By Macy Schmidt Beloved tracks from Tokyo Ghoul with new orchestral arrangements and selected clip. In partnership with Crunchyroll.


Producer’s Circle ($5,000+)
Marvin Leffler
Ellen Miller-Wachtel & Alan Wachtel, M.D.
Torbjoern G. Nygaard, MD & Lisa A. Mellman, MD
Paige Price and Nevin Steinberg
Rita Robbins
Susan Zohn
Partner ($2,500)
Agnes Gund
Dr. Elizabeth Iannizzi
John A. Jenkins & Susan Raleigh Jenkins
Benjamin Lewis
Beth & Tim Stambaugh
Sponsor ($2,000)
Chris Primiano
Joan Rall
Lawrence Unger
National Mah Jongg League, Inc
Seat Holder ($1,000)
Ms. Deborah Barrera & Mr. John Steinbuch
Jessica Boncutter, Sebastian Bauer
Sol & Margaret Berger Foundation
Matt Frank & Lisa Glassner-Frank
Green Charitable Foundation
Fran & Richard Habib
Raymond Hannan Jr.
Rhoda Rothkopf.
Weston Jeffers Wellington
Martha West
Member ($500)
Mr. & Mrs. Louis Aidala
Craig Albert & Adrienne Koch
Charlie & Bonnie Alter
Wanyong & Chris Austin
Patricia Brown
Kim Conner & Nick Groombridge
Michael & Anne Frank-Shapiro
Susan Holmes
Adam Idleberg
Jacqueline & Bruce Leffler
Rev. Dr. Judith C. Lovell
The Madigan Family
Gail Propp
Mahipal Rawat, Shweta Rawat
Zita Rosenthal
Heidi Jo Spiegel
Lisa Venezia
Natalie Wexler
Chester A. Whitlock
Melissa Wohlgemuth & Matt Howard
H. S. Zuboff
Friend ($250)
Anonymous (5)
Phil Alexandre
Karina Byrne & Andrew Delaney
The Covell-Ranheim Family
Miriam Davidson
Leslie De Jesus
Susan & Rick Derrickson
Joseph Feczko, Leighton Gleicher
Anna May Feige, Tim Feige
David Gilbert, Hara Woltz
Dr. Tamara Gillis
Matt Goldman
Helena Grannis
Estelle Haber
James Harrington
Andrew P. Kahn
Elaine Crowley & John Kuehn
John Larson
Paul Levine & Victoria Sweet
Merridith & Robert McCarthy
Julie & David F. McCarthy
Ralph Mosley
Andrew Norton & Nancy Olsen-Norton
David C. Olstein
Nicholas + Michelle
Carol Ann Rabolt
Dr. John Rediske
Dr. Carina Rizzo
A. Jeffrey Rosen
Frederick Rotgers, Jacinta Gauda
Christopher Rousseau
David Ruitenberg
Corrente Schankler
Brandy & Mark Schillace
Amy Seplin
Debbie Sweeney
Meg Torelli
Jeffrey Vernam
Bruce Yablon
Melinda Zito, Michael Cohan
Anita Jaffe & Lawrence C. Zucker
Supporters ($100)
Anonymous (60)
Barry Abramson
Michelle Adams
Jacqueline Ancess
Eleanor Androulidakis
Marc A. Anello
Gary Apple
Rachel Bailey
Andrew Baldwin
Anil & Kumud Bansal
Deb & Jay Baum
Jennifer Baumgardner
Singular Private Wealth, P.C.
Xanthe Benton
April D. Blackwell
KB
Marlena Bocian
Bruce Bosso
Eric Brettschneider
John & Colleen Burke
Elizabeth Wendell Butler
Lloyd & Darcy Campbell
Kathleen Clark
Vincent Cloud
Elisa Cohen
Ashley E. Collins
M. Comparetti
Jim & Laura Coraci
Charles Cummings
Anna Czekaj-Farber
Benoit & Christine Dauchez
Jill C Delaney
Richard DiLallo
Deborah Draving
John Franklin Duckett Jr.
Jackson Dykman
Jay Edelman
Richard & Lora Ellenson
Steph & Bill Ewashkow
Danielle Ferry
Annette Ferstenberg & Jesse Goodman
Angel Love Figueroa
Marc Fink
Michelle Fino
Michael Flanagan
Geoffrey Flick
Joseph Fowler
Eric Friedenthal
Neal S. Friedman
Gregory Gabel
Jeff Garbor
The Garofoli Family
Jan & Tom Geniesse
Jean Golden
Andrew Goldstein
Mike Greenbaum
Matthew & Erin Greenhouse
Jessica Hook
Linda C. Houston
Khara Hutchinson
Fong H
Nina Iventosch
Jay Jantzer
Mark Joy
Tim and Nancy Judd
Wayne Kabak & Marsha Berkowitz
Janice Kambara
The Keenans
Jay Kesslen
Nancy Kete
Brad Kirschner
Lau Annesa
Georgette C. Law
Tina Lawrence
Alan Leader
HyunJu Lee
Dan Levy
Eve Levy and Michael Salvato
Smadar Levy
Mark Lewin
Sara Lilly
Susan Lish
William Low & Hana Ptacnikova
Cornelia Macfadyen
Andrea Madden
Paul Magyar
Dr. Madeleine Mascitti
James McGreevey
Sandy McKelvey
Kelli McMillan
Sara Lynn Michener
Tomoharu Misawa, Norie Misawa
Kate Moore
Mr & Mrs Michael Moran
Elliot Morgan
Stacy Morrison & Ryan Myers
Kara Moskowitz
Anya Nebel
Mathew Neiger
Melanie Nelson
Abigail Newsome
David Nirenberg
Ashling O’Dwyer
Lisa Ostrout
Amanda Oswald Taylor
Russell & PJ Pamulo
Jason Pendrock
Nancy & David Perlstein
Nick Perosino, Marissa Perosino
Rick Picardo
The Powell Family
Mitzi Pratt
Bruce T. Qua
Garth Reese
Scott Rhodes
David Rimmer

William Risch
Vicki Roosevelt, Rob Jorgensen
Neal Rosenberg & Michael Ottaway
Rachel Rosenberg-Shoch
Theresa Rostkowski
Ronald Rotter
Nancy Rubin
Alexa Sage
Faith Salie
James Sall
Aaron Sanders, Kitty Sanders
NallyAnn Scaturro, Stephanie LeBlanc
Isabel B Schiffer
Emily M Sack & Robert J Schloss
Lawrence Shultz
Maxine Schweitzer
Anastasia Mann, Eldar Shafir
Stefan Sherman
James Siokos
Chelsea Sosnowski
Shannon Spezzano, Morgan Nivison, Brittany Schnepel, Bill Irrek
Nina Sporn, Tim Smith
KT Stallings
Michael Steiner
Triple B’s
Anne Sundberg
Victoria Sweet
Angela Tangredi
Abbe Tiger
Sophia Waitword
Scott Weiner, Beth Siegel
Howard Weiss
Kim A. Weiss
Dan Weissman
Judith Wieber
Christine Williams
Stanley Wine, Lillian Tang
Serena Winters
Agnes Xia-Hu
Adnin Zaman, Layla Abushamat
P rograms are supported, in part, by public funds from The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Town Hall’s Education Outreach Program is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. We would like to thank the following foundations, corporations, and government institutions for their support.
American Portfolios
Axe-Houghton Foundation
Bank of America
Charles D. Fleischman Charitable Trust
Consolidated Edison Company of New York
Edythe Kenner Foundation
Gund Investment Corporation
Howard Gilman Foundation
The Hyde & Watson Foundation
The IV Fund
National Endowment for the Arts
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
New York State Council on the Arts
New York State Senator Liz Krueger
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul
New York City Mayor Eric L. Adams
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine
New York City Council Member Keith Powers
New York City Council Member Gale Brewer
New York City Council Member Julie Menin
New York City Council Member Sandy Nurse
New York City Council Member Yusef Salaam
New York City Council Member Kalman Yeger
NYC Dept. Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo
New York University
Rea Charitable Trust
The Shubert Foundation
Tandon Family Foundation
Ticketmaster


Town Hall has played an integral part in the electrifying cultural fabric of New York City for more than 100 years. A group of Suffragists’ fight for the 19th Amendment led them to build a meeting space to educate people on the important issues of the day. During its construction, the 19th Amendment was passed, and on January 12, 1921 The Town Hall opened its doors and took on a double meaning: as a symbol of the victory won by its founders, and as a spark for a new, more optimistic climate. In 1921, German composer Richard Strauss performed a series of concerts that cemented the Hall’s reputation as an ideal venue for musical performances. Siance, Town Hall has been home to countless musical milestones: The US debuts of Strauss, and Isaac Stern; Marian Anderson’s first New York recital; in 1945, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker introduced bebop to the world; Bob Dylan’s first major concert in ‘63; and much much more.
LEARN MORE. VISIT THETOWNHALL.ORG/TOURS
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The Town Hall’s mission is to provide affordable world-class entertainment by new and established artists to a diverse audience; to inspire the youth of our community to appreciate and participate in the arts at The Town Hall and in schools through our Education Outreach Program; and to preserve and enhance The Town Hall as a historic landmark venue for the enjoyment and cultural enrichment of generations to come.
PRESIDENT Nevin Steinberg
PRESIDENT EMERITUS
Tom Wirtshafter
Marvin Leffler
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Susan Zohn
VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL COUNSEL
Ellen Miller-Wachtel
TRUSTEES
Teniola Adedipe
Anne Frank-Shapiro
Frederick Gabriel
Gita Gupte
John A. Jenkins
Natalie Moreno Wexler
James Shackelford
Madhu Goel Southworth
LIFE TRUSTEES
Phyllis Putter Barasch
Mary Dettling-Wright
Bruce S. Leffler

VICE PRESIDENT
Rita Robbins
TREASURER
Joan Rall
SECRETARY
Timothy Stambaugh
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Kathleen Rosenberg, Chair
Nancy Berman
Sandy Horowitz
Elizabeth Iannizzi
Candace Leeds
Zita Rosenthal
Rhoda Rothkopf
ARTS IN EDUCATION
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Michael Fram, Co-Chair
Dr. Eloise Messineo, Co-Chair
Barbara Murray
Dr. Pola Rosen
George Young
INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Matt Goldman
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Melay Araya
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Jeff Mann
DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP, SUBSCRIPTIONS AND ADMINISTRATION
Helen Morris
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Donna Banks, PhD
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
Taione Martinez
DIRECTOR OF BOOKING AND EVENTS
Paul Cameron Hardy
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS
Abe Hirsch
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Bill Dehling
SR. DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER
Alex Koveos
PROGRAMMING MANAGER
Gloria Lee
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Brooke Ferris
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Britni Montalbano
BOX OFFICE MANAGER
Angel Rodriguez
CHIEF ENGINEER
Steve Franqui
HOUSE MANAGER
Johnny Lee Green
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Carl Acampora
GRAPHIC DESIGNE R
Leia-lee Doran
PROJECT MANAGER
Ray Rigoglioso
CONSULTANT & COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT LEAD
Jasmine Hammond
MULTIMEDIA CONTENT INTERN
Anika Rahman
The photographing or sound recording of any performance or the possession of any device for such photographing or sound recording inside the theatre without the written permission of the management is prohibited by law. Violators may be punished by ejection and violations may render the offender liable for monetary damages.
The exit indicated by a red light and sign nearest to the seat you occupy is the shortest route to the street. In the event of fire or other emergency please do not run, WALK TO THAT EXIT.
Thoughtless persons annoy patrons and endanger the safety of others by lighting matches or smoking in prohibited areas during the performances and intermissions. This violates a city ordinance and is punishable by law.
-FIRE COMMISSIONER
DIRECTORY OF THEATRE SERVICES
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES : 212.997.1003
Mon-Fri 9:30 am to 5 pm, for rental & membership info
BOX OFFICE : 212.840.2824 Mon-Sat 12 noon to 6pm. 24/7 Recording
TICKETMASTER: 800.982.2787 to charge tickets by phone.online Ticketmaster.com
LOST AND FOUND: 212.997.0113
CELL PHONE POLICY
Cell phones should be silenced prior to the performance as a courtesy to the performers and audience.
LOBBY REFRESHMENT BY Theatre Refreshment Company of NY
