Oscar Brown Jr.’s Poetry as Theatre: An American Prophets Program

Maggie and Africa Brown love doing what they do best together—singing with theatrics on stage. These “2 Brown Sisters” energetically merge their foundations in jazz with the melting pot of their mixed musical upbringing. The Browns’ harmonious vocal blend radiates sisterly love and their often comical chemistry on stage. Their shows are always enjoyable and steeped in a rich musical legacy, which they proudly carry on from their father, singer, composer, playwright and activist, Oscar Brown, Jr. Join us at the American Writers Museum to see Maggie and Africa perform their father’s work and discuss his legacy.

This is an in person program at the American Writers Museum. This program will not be livestreamed.

This program is presented in conjunction with the AWM’s special exhibit American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture, a powerful new exhibit that takes you on the ultimate exploration through spirituality and storytelling. A banner of Oscar Brown, Jr. was added to the AWM’s Chicago Gallery as part of American Prophets to highlight the spiritual aspects of his work and honor his legacy in this city, and the world at large. American Prophets is supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative.

More about the program:

Oscar Brown, Jr. was a towering figure in American arts whose genius transcended categories. A poet, playwright, songwriter, actor, director, and activist, he embodied the very spirit of creativity fused with social conscience. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Brown used his words and music as instruments of truth, courage, and transformation. His career spanned theater, television, film, and jazz, leaving a body of work that was all at once entertaining, revolutionary, and timeless.

The 2 Brown Sisters grew up watching and internalizing their father at work, until they themselves began being part of the show. This performance offers songs and poetry to complement the celebration of African American History and Valentines Day. The 2 Brown Sisters will demonstrate glimpses of several of Oscar’s plays—written entirely in rhyming verse. They will also give insight into his own poetry form he called a “Long Song,” which means: a poem with a large number of verses, that was composed to be accompanied with music or sung.

Thanks to their upbringing, the 2 Brown Sisters know how to turn poetry into theatre. This activity is part of the Brown family’s year-long centennial celebration for Oscar Brown, Jr., born October 10, 1926.