The uplifting story of the world’s most beloved song is coming to the Givens Performing Arts Center stage on the campus of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke March 13 at 7:30 p.m.
“Amazing Grace: The Musical” centers on the turbulent life of slave trader turned abolitionist John Newton, author of the 18th century hymn, “Amazing Grace,” and tells the story of how the song first came to be. The show is sponsored by Rust Enterprises and McDonald’s.
Tickets are $41, $36 and $21 for adults and children are admitted for $16.
A special discount is available to groups of 10 or more people. The discount is $26 for adults and $16 for children under 18. To order the group discount rate, call 910.521.6361.
A captivating tale of romance, rebellion and redemption, this radiant production is an unforgettable musical saga that captures the spirit of history’s sweetest and most powerful sound: freedom.
The play is written by Christopher Smith, a self-taught musician, former police officer and youth outreach director. The play is based on the autobiography about the life of John Newton. Smith decided to share the story with a broader audience. Newton is the son of a slave trader who leaves college to go into the family business. An experienced if indifferent merchant seaman, but a more enthusiastic slave trader, he travels to Sierra Leone to collect his living merchandise, cages them like animals for the long sea voyage to England, and sells them back home at public auction. The play details his redemption.
Before coming to Broadway in 2015, the musical had a pre-Broadway run in the fall of 2014 at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago. The show was hailed by theatergoers and played at the Nederlander in New York.
Reviews have praised “Amazing Grace.” The Wall Street Journal called it “One of the best-looking musicals to hit New York in recent seasons,” and The Washington Post called it “superb, with moments of genuine astonishment.”
The GPAC season continues on March 19 with the iconic classic “The Wizard of Oz.”
For video, list of cast, and more information, visit: http://amazinggracemusical.com
For information about tickets and the full season lineup, visit uncp.edu/gpac or call 910.521.6361.