McDuffie event "What Color is Your Brother?" explores race in Macon

Presented by the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, "What Color is Your Brother? An Exploration of Race Through Words and Music" will bring classical music and spoken word together Saturday on the Grand Opera House stage.

A follow-up to last year's event with actress/activist Anna Deavere Smith and violinist Robert McDuffie at Beulahland Bible Church, "What Color is Your Brother?" is an effort to continue to address and discuss local racial issues, according to a news release.

"It's important to continue the conversation on race in Macon. Beulahland was special, but it was not a one-and-done event. I believe artists have a particular responsibility to address major issues in ways politicians and civic and religious leaders cannot. Words matter. Music heals," McDuffie said in the release.

The evening will feature music by McDuffie and the Mercer University Orchestra in conjunction with a documentary play written specifically for the event performed by Theatre Macon's Youth Actors Company, who will showcase the voices of Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert; Commissioner Elaine Lucas; Coroner Leon Jones; Dominique Johnson, pastor and academic coordinator of Mercer's Upward Bound program; and Susanna Patterson, executive director of the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Central Georgia.

The evening will close with a panel and audience discussion.

-- Laura Shirley

"What Color is Your Brother?"

When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27

Where: Grand Opera House, 651 Mulberry St.

Cost: Free, but tickets are required

Information: 478-301-5470

This story was originally published February 25, 2016 at 5:24 PM with the headline "McDuffie event "What Color is Your Brother?" explores race in Macon ."