Night and the Soul Songs and Poems by Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, MIT Martin Luther King Visiting Scholar Music by Ricardo Pitts-Wiley and Robert Schleeter Kim Morrison, Director Featuring the Mixed Magic Theatre Exult Choir Performing Selections from The Greatness of Gospel: Down by the Riverside Concert Saturday, October 17th 7:30-9:30 PM MIT Killian Hall Building 14 Free and open to the public; no tickets/reservations required. A discussion with Mr. Pitts-Wiley will follow the performance.

Since 1979, Ricardo Pitts-Wiley has written the script and lyrics for 8 musicals. Most often his co-composer for the music has been his longtime collaborator Robert Schleeter, a guitarist and music teacher at the prestigious Marin Academy in San Rafael, California.

Over the past 30 years Ricardo Pitts-Wiley has developed a non-traditional style to create music that has resulted in over 200 songs that range in style from rhythm and blues and gospel to country, rock, Broadway and jazz.

For this concert much of the first part of the evening will focus on poems and songs from "Night Voices." The 18-member ensemble will also perform songs from other shows by Pitts-Wiley including Sara's Juke Box, The Spirit Warrior's Dream, The Well of Woman and A Kwanzaa Song. The full-choir will perform a selection of songs from their recent The Greatness of Gospel Concert.

The Mixed Magic Theatre Exult Choir was formed by Pitts-Wiley in 2007 with the goal of bringing together some of the best talent in Rhode Island to preserve and celebrate gospel music. This truly American art form combines African rhythms, Negro spirituals, work songs and rhythm and blues to create a unique musical experience. This experience can convey the sorrow of the downtrodden and enslaved as well as the exhilaration of the faithful and the free.

For more information, please contact Jamie Graham at jamiecg@mit.edu or call the Literature Section at 617-253-3581. The promotional poster may be found here.

For directions, go to: Killian Hall at MIT