D-Composition x Love Is…Steppenwolf LookOut Series

For our Steppenwolf LookOut series debut, we presented our newest concept, D-Composition: Love Is.… Love Is… examined the many definitions of love using poetry and the music of Black composers.

The string quartet performed the works of Black composers paired with the poetry and storytelling of Shanta Nurullah, Jamila Woods, avery r. young, Krista Franklin, Raych Jackson, and Davon Clark.

The music of composers Sharon Udoh, Florence Price, Jessie Montgomery, Carlos Simon, Daniel Bernard Roumain, Janelle Monae, and Beyoncé brought a new life into their words.

Introducing each scene was archival home movie footage, courtesy of The South Side Home Movie Project.

For an added surprise and delight, we raffled off two custom journals created by cellist Tahirah Whittington, founder of Pureword Creations.

The result was an evening of love on and off the stage.

Love Is… features musical direction from the D-Composed collective led by Executive/Artistic Director Kori Coleman and co-curated by Caitlin Edwards (violin), Khelsey Zarraga (violin), Wilfred Farquharson (viola), and Tahirah Whittington (cello).

Love Is… was made possible by The Givens Foundation of African American Literature, DCASE CityArts Grant, and our presenting sponsor, Steppenwolf Theater.

Photo Credit: Sulyiman Stokes