Set against the background of the civil rights struggle of the sixties andmoving into the Black/Jewish tensions of the subsequent years, this playfollows two women - one Jewish and one African-American - as they experiencepublic success, personal tragedy and finally a rediscovery of their roots. Anestablished Jewish singer who made her name singing black blues songs feelsbetrayed when her African-American secretary ventures into the spotlight. Thesuccess of Cleo, her former assistant, and the decline in her own career causeSandra to explore her way back to her people through her music. Finally, shemeets the now famous Cleo on a more equal footing. An accident occurs whichimpacts their lives and threatens to tear apart a community where blacks andJews live side by side. They join together and attempt to bring their peopletogether at a rousing public concert.
SOUL SISTERS recognizes conflicts, but uses music to focus on common ground. Amessage of proud Jewish-American and African American identity is carriedthrough such songs as Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" and "StrangeFruit," "We Shall Overcome," "Go Down Moses," Debbie Friedman's "Miriam'sSong," "We Shall Be Free" by Jeff Klepper and Stuart Rosenberg, Mark Elliot's"Soul Sisters," Rolsalie Gerut's "We're Here," Doug Mishkin's "Climbing thatLadder" and a mixture of African, Hebrew and Yiddish folk songs. The variedmusical score is handled magnificently by Vikki True and Jacque TaraWashington.
