Black Is The Colour Of My Voice comes to The Lowry Theatre

The tour of Black Is The Colour Of My Voice, a critically acclaimed one-woman play written and performed by Apphia Campbell, inspired by the life of the great soul singer Nina Simone, arrives at The Lowry Theatre next week.

Since 2013, the show has carried Campbell from Shanghai to New York and London’s West End, and will debut at The Lowry next week, running from 23-25 October.

Campbell’s exposition follows a successful jazz singer and civil rights activist as she seeks redemption after the untimely death of her father.

She reflects on the journey that took her from a young piano prodigy destined for a life in the service of the church to a renowned jazz vocalist at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement.

After being inspired by Simone’s music and her journey as an activist, Campbell sought to highlight her personal journey and decided to try to convey the character of the person behind the art.

She highlights that she has worked to give Simone’s music new meaning.

Actor Florence Odumosu returns to the show for the first time since her 2022 debut.

Campbell previously said that Odumosu has taken the play forward by interpreting her writing with a different energy.

Born in the United States, Campbell graduated from Florida International University with a BFA in theatre performance.

She wrote Black Is The Color Of My Voice in 2013. In 2017 her new show with Meredith Yarbrough, Woke (now called Through the Mud) was presented as part of the Made In Scotland Showcase, where it won a Scotsman Fringe First, a Highly Commended from Amnesty International Award, and was shortlisted for The Filipa Bragança Award and Scottish Art Club Theatre Award.

Her first commission from the BBC for a children’s story, called Zachary The Zebroid aired in 2020 and she also wrote Birdie’s Dilemma for Scenes for Survival (BBC in collaboration with NTS Scotland). She was one of six writers who wrote for the National Theatre of Scotland’s Christmas show Rapunzel.

Campbell is a master of her craft and an artist on the rise, tickets for her show Black Is The Colour Of My Voice are available to purchase here.