'Mahalia' is a 'gospel good time'

Art Forms & Theatre Concepts, the premier African-American theater company in the Lowcountry, presents "Mahalia: A Gospel Musical." This historical, motivating musical story of the late Mahalia Jackson aims to please the entire family.

With a small dose of drama and comedy, the production lays out the meaning of the renowned gospel singer's life.

Committed solely to a career devoted to praising God, Jackson established herself as one of the first queens of gospel music. Among her accomplishments, Jackson sang for President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

This down-home gospel production, directed by Art Gilliard, founding artistic director of Art Forms & Theatre Concepts, will explore the historical importance of Jackson's life. The event will allow family members of all ages to appreciate the significance of gospel music, he said. "Anyone can come to expect a gospel good time," Gilliard said. "Our performers are extremely talented. Some of them have had experience beyond the Charleston area and South Carolina."

The production was written by Tom Stolz as part of the 2010 Piccolo Spoleto Festival. Gilliard said his cast "is the cream of the crop."

The cast includes Sheri McClain-Brown (Jackson), Helen M. Freeman (Aunt Duke), Troy Carroll (Cousin Fred), Donna Lee Williams (Mildred Falls), Keith Alston (Pastor of Greater Salem Baptist and Martin Luther King), John Smalls (Thomas Dorsey and Pastor Lawrence), Lisa M. Montgomery (news reporter) and Jacquez L. Brown (blues man and James Herbert Francis), with Howard N. Brown as music director.

Gilliard founded Art Forms & Theatre Concepts in 1995 when Charleston tourists said there was a lack of performing arts diversity. Now, 15 years later, major changes have been made in African-American performing arts programs throughout the Lowcountry, Gilliard said. Outreach programs in churches and schools have allowed top performers to seek out the best opportunities, he said.

"Mahalia Jackson's story has not been told properly. It's not easy to put out on a show about Mahalia," Gilliard said. "But for us it was timing thing. We were able to take advantage of the opportunities. Mahalia was a woman who found out she had a gift at an early age. And that gift was to spread God's love, and that is exactly how she spent her entire life."