Movie Musical SOUL DOCTOR Will Be Shown in Selma Over Jubilee Weekend

The NY Kwanzaa Film Festival winner for Best Feature, "Soul Doctor" will be screened at the Walton Theater (100 Selma Avenue) in Selma, Alabama on Sunday, March 1st at 4:30pm to celebrate Black History Monthand The Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee, commemorating "Bloody Sunday," when a group of about 525 African American demonstrators gathered at Browns Chapel to demand the right to vote.An event that led to the famous Selma Marches led by the late Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. which was a turning point in public support for the Civil Rights movement.

Jubilee Weekend features marches and commemorative events attended by thousands, including Martin Luther King III, community leaders and presidential hopefuls including Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Michael Blumberg, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warrenand Amy Klobuchar & Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

The Bridge March event will open with MLK orator and motivational speaker Stephon Ferguson recreating Martin Luther King Jr's first Selma Speech. To introduce "Soul Doctor"at 4:30pm, Ferguson will deliver a specially composed speech drawing from Dr. King's speeches on anti-semitism and Jewish/African American relations, along with a musical performance of songs from "Soul Doctor", by the Selma Gospel choir.

"Soul Doctor" tells the story of the beloved yet controversial father of popular Jewish music, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. A modern-day troubadour, Shlomo ignited the spirit of millions around the world with his soul-stirring melodies, transformative storytelling and boundless love. After his childhood escape from Nazi Germany, the young Rabbi formed an unlikely friendship with legendary jazz singer Nina Simone, who introduced him to soul and gospel music, and a Jewish music and cultural revival was born. Fusing his roots with his new inspiration, Shlomo created a revolutionary musical sound, writing songs that continue to be the main body of Jewish musical standards. The "Jewish Gospel/Soul" experience he introduced to the synagogue worship became the most popular synagogue services across all denominations of Jewish practice.

"This story highlights the emerging paradigm shift and the need for a cross-cultural approach to racism in the aftermath of Jim Crow Segregation and The European Holocaust,"said producer Jeremy Chess.

Soul Doctor" introduces a unique perspective to the national conversation on Jewish African American relations; how the African American struggle and revival helped shape the post Holocaust Jewish experience, with Nina Simone influencing the Jewish revival, contemporary Jewish music and synagogue worship.

Following the screening of the film, there will be a community conversation on "Jewish/ African American relations" led by the writer/director of "Soul Doctor," Daniel Wise.

The Soul Doctor musical was originally workshopped at National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene and subsequent New York productions included an off Broadway debut at The Museum of Jewish Heritage; showcase productions at Jazz at Lincoln Center and The Roundabout Theatre Company (which featured India Arie as Nina Simone), two sold out seasons at Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, in New Orleans in 2009 and 2010, and ubsequent runs at The Colony Theater in Miami in 2011, The Parker Playhouse in Ft Lauderdale in 2012, The New York Theatre Workshop in 2012, and Broadway in 2013 at Circle in THE SQUARE Theatre.

The show then played Montreal in Yiddish in 2014, an off Broadway run in 2015, and a production at The San Diego Repertory Theatre in 2018. Soul Doctor was also the feature presentation at the "Israel at 70" Festival in Jerusalem, where the production was filmed.

With music by Shlomo Carlebach, lyrics by David Schechter, book and direction by Daniel Wise, and choreographed by Abdur Rahim Jackson (Alvin Ailey, Beyonce "Halo" music video and Superbowl Show), the film stars Tony Award® nominee Josh Young (Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita) as Shlomo and Nya (star of the recent Cleopatra, and the upcoming Broadway revival of Caroline or Change) as Nina Simone.

Soul Doctor's creative consultant and additional material is by Neshama Carlebach.

Of the stage musical, The New York Times raved, "Inspiring and absorbing! A joyous Leaping Roar!," and The Wall Street Journal cheered, "exhilarating! riveting! Hilarious!" Time Out New York said, "a spectacular cross between Fiddler on the Roof and HAIR," and The Examiner exclaimed, "A certifiable hit...Genius! Five stars." The London Financial Times lauded, "While libraries have been written about the similarities of historical struggle between jews and African-Americans. I have never seen them put across more eloquently than in Soul Doctor."

Soul Doctor was originally produced on Broadway by: Jeremy Chess, Jerome Levy, Edward L. Steinberg, Robert Beckwitt, David Haft, Ken Abramowitz, Brian Murray and Joel Kahn. In Partnership with Michael Steinhardt.

For information about the screening of "Soul Doctor" in Selma, please visit: www.waltontheaterselma.org. Admission is free.