The life, work, and philanthropy of the late Shirley Bradley LeFlore will be honored during the inaugural LeFlore Foundation Gala at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6, 2022, at The Grandel Theater.
The black-tie event will feature a theatrical performance of LeFlore’s signature work “Rivers of Women.” The play is based on LeFlore’s book of poetry entitled “Brassbones and Rainbows.”
In a 2018 interview with African Voices, Leflore said she had “acted out” many of the poems she had written about women, which led to “Rivers of Women.”
“History and lineage have always been important to me because I’ve known so many great women—not necessarily by name. Like the women who came to my mother’s beauty shop, or women I just met. I would just extrapolate their lives,” she said.
“Or sometimes I’d be sitting in a place and just start writing. I’d maybe catch somebody with a certain kind of hat on or something, and I would find that inspiring. Ever since I was young, I always made up stories about these women—who they were, where they were going, where they’d been, where they dreamed of going.
“So, after looking over my work I just decided, ‘I’m going to put this together.’ And that’s what I did. It certainly helped me to have the musicians to work with. I’ve been very fortunate.”
A 2013 performance at the Missouri History Museum was presented before a sold-out audience. It returned to that stage the following year, “and was an even stronger production. I was so happy and proud to be a part of that,” Leflore said.
Alerica Anderson is musical director and composer of the fundraiser performance, and the play features actors Leah Stewart, Amber Rose, Cheeraz Gormon, and Pacia Elaine Anderson.
N. “Pinky” Thomas delivers the choreography that showcases dancer Essence Cunningham-Peoples. Special guest vocalists include Adrienne Felton-King, and opera sensation Angel Riley.
The Stanley Coleman Quintet, with special guest pianist Ptah Williams, will close the evening following the show.
Tickets for the play and post-show performance are $50. VIP tickets for $100 and Limited Gold Circle Donor Box Seating for $1,000, which includes the 6 p.m. VIP Pre-Show Cocktails featuring recording artist and vocalist Suzanne Palmer are available at Metrotix (https://bit.ly/sblf-gala-tickets).
Proceeds will benefit the Foundation’s arts programming in St. Louis, and the Shirley Bradley Price LeFlore endowment fund at Webster University.
The Shirley Bradley LeFlore Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization was established by LeFlore’s daughters, Hope Lynne Price-Lindsay, Jacie Wynn Price, and Lyah Beth LeFlore-Ituen and established shortly after her passing in 2019.
Said LeFlore-Ituen, who is the show’s producer and director.
The Foundation’s mission is to provide innovative literary, music, theater, and fine arts programming to the St. Louis community. It also offers the Shirley Bradley LeFlore Scholarship, an annual creative writing award for students in partnership with Webster University, and the biennial Shirley Bradley LeFlore Literary Award, which awards a woman from Missouri a cash prize, and the publication of their debut poetry collection by 2Leaf Press.
The Foundation accepts donations directly on its website at www.shirleybradleyleflorefoundation.org.
