Middle-aged African American playwright Kinshasa "Tree" Morton, in a career and personal slump, is commissioned by the family foundation of Tin Pan Alley composer/lyricist/book writer Joshua Gerwitz to update his epic Negro folk opera, originally titled Chasin' Hebbin. Kinshasa has made a career of calling Gerwitz's work into question, but when the ghost of Gerwitz arrives to challenge Kinshasa's notions of authenticity, political correctness and showbiz, questions are raised that have life--and afterlife--changing results. It was recently announced that Porgy and Bess is coming to Broadway soon with a new book by a Pulitzer Prize winning black female playwright. Chasing Heaven is an examination of our uncomfortable national conversation on race as manifest in the American performing arts. It is also about how the ties between us can help bridge the gaps. And there's even a dash of romance!
Chasing Heaven is inspired by many sources: Tin Pan Alley writers/composers, Pulitzer Prize winning black female authors of impressive tomes, classic romantic comedies involving antagonistic opposites and controversial American film and stage classics such as Cabin in the Sky and, particularly Porgy and Bess.
With this in mind, dramaturg Trevor Weston's involvement with Chasing Heaven is fortuitous. His knowledge of American music history and the backstory of Porgy and Bess, one of the premiere examples of an American musical piece that elicits a range of intense reactions from audiences and activists, enriches our production.
Long before Weston moved to Charleston, South Carolina in 2000, he gave a lecture on the music of Gershwin at a school in Italy. Researching this topic increased his interest in Gershwin and Charleston. It was the first time that Weston remembers reading that Gershwin went to Charleston to listen to Gullah music in order to use this tradition in writing Porgy and Bess.
Years later, Weston accepted a job teaching at the College of Charleston and began to search for recordings of Gullah music and possible live performances. In 2002, he wrote a scholarly paper on the history of black musicians in Charleston, "A Musical Dawn: African American Musicians in Charleston, 1900-1930" which is available under "Research" on his website, www.trevorweston.com. This research gave him a greater understanding of music in Charleston before and after Gershwin was there and, of course, the vibrant musical community in Charleston's African American society.
A few specific projects also increased Weston's knowledge of Gullah music. In 2004, he was commissioned to write a piece for string orchestra, narrator and violin soloist using a Gullah or low country story by the Starling Chamber Ensemble. He composed The People Could Fly using elements of Gullah music that he studied in a Folkways recording entitled Been in the Storm so Long. The following year, he was a musical consultant for a ballet using the artwork of Jonathan Green, an artist who specializes in Gullah images.
In 2008, he composed a work for chamber orchestra, Messages, inspired by a painting created by Jonathan Green in which he attempted to capture the choral singing of traditional Gullah music.
In preparing possible recordings for Chasing Heaven, Weston purchased numerous recordings of music from the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia. In 2008, he composed a work for chamber orchestra, Messages, inspired by a painting created by Jonathan Green in which he attempted to capture the choral singing of traditional Gullah music.
Photos by Dixie Sheridan.
A few specific projects also increased Weston's knowledge of Gullah music. In 2004, he was commissioned to write a piece for string orchestra, narrator and violin soloist using a Gullah or low country story by the Starling Chamber Ensemble. He composed The People Could Fly using elements of Gullah music that he studied in a Folkways recording entitled Been in the Storm so Long. The following year, he was a musical consultant for a ballet using the artwork of Jonathan Green, an artist who specializes in Gullah images. 