The Amen Corner

“Brilliantly directed by Whitney White” (Brightest Young Things), James Baldwin’s The Amen Corner returns to Sidney Harman Hall to complete its original run. In a 1950s storefront church in Harlem, Pastor Margaret rails at her congregation and her teenaged son for their vices. Surrounded by “a choir of powerhouse singers” (The Washington Post) belting songs of redemption, Margaret must face the music herself when memories of her own troubled past return. See why The Amen Corner was praised as one of the best productions in 2020 by The Washington Post in this limited, two-week engagement.

About the Playwright

JAMES BALDWIN was born in Harlem, New York City, August 2, 1924 and died on November 30, 1987. He offered a vital literary voice during the era of civil rights activism in the 1950s and ’60s. The eldest of nine children, his stepfather was a minister. At age 14, Baldwin became a preacher at the small Fireside Pentecostal Church in Harlem. After he graduated from high school, he moved to Greenwich Village. In the early 1940s, he transferred his faith from religion to literature. Critics, however, note the impassioned cadences of Black churches are still evident in his writing. Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953), his first novel, is a partially autobiographical account of his youth. His essay collections Notes of a Native Son (1955), Nobody Knows My Name (1961), and The Fire Next Time (1963) were influential in informing a large white audience. His other novels include Giovanni’s Room (1956), about a white American expatriate who must come to terms with his homosexuality, and Another Country (1962), about racial and gay sexual tensions among New York intellectuals. Baldwin’s play, Blues for Mister Charlie, was produced in 1964. Going to Meet the Man (1965) and Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone (1968) provided powerful descriptions of American racism. As an openly gay man, he became increasingly outspoken in condemning discrimination against lesbian and gay people.

All titles, artists, and dates subject to change.

Reviews

“SPLENDIDLY REALIZED…Majestic and sprawling.” –The Washington Post

“BREATHTAKING…Entertaining but full of profundity in an American classic kind of way.” –DC Metro Theater Arts

“SPECTACULAR…Every moment, and I mean every moment, is well executed.” –BroadwayWorld

“SPARKLING…Equal parts inspiring and introspective.” –DC Theatre Scene

“FABULOUS…Feels remarkably fresh, original, and vitally important.” –Metro Weekly

“POWERFUL…A not-to-be-missed production of a great American work.” –MD Theatre Guide

“PACKS A WALLOP…Brilliantly directed by Whitney White.” –Brightest Young Things

“EXQUISITE…You must see this show.” –Two Hours’ Traffic

“STUNNING…Director Whitney White demonstrates her skill.” –Talkin’ Broadway

“HALLELUJAH!…It is a great pleasure to witness a remarkable play written by one of America’s most gifted and important 20th-century writers.” –CurtainUp

“HIGHLY RECOMMENDED…A toe-tapping, arms-outstretched-to-heaven sensation.” –Whisk and Quill