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Strange Fruit

In 1937, after seeing a photo depicting the lynching of a black man in the south, Bronx-born high school teacher Abel Meeropol wrote a poem entitled "Strange Fruit" that begins with the words: "Southern trees bear a strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root." He set the poem to music and a few years later convinced Billy holiday to record it in a legendary heartbreaking performance. Intertwining jazz genealogy, biography, performance footage, and the history of lynching, director Joel Katz fashions a fascinating discovery of the lost story behind a true American classic. Written by Excerpted from Coolidge Corner Theatre Program Update

Top Cast

  • Dorothy Thigpen

    Dorothy Thigpen

    Self

  • Milton Gabler

    Milton Gabler

    Self

  • Farah Jasmine Griffin

    Farah Jasmine Griffin

    Self

  • Pete Seeger

    Pete Seeger

    Self

  • Ethel Rosenberg

    Ethel Rosenberg

    Self

  • Julius Rosenberg

    Julius Rosenberg

    Self

  • Billie Holiday

    Billie Holiday

    Self

  • Cassandra Wilson

    Cassandra Wilson

    Self

Overview

In 1937, after seeing a photo depicting the lynching of a black man in the south, Bronx-born high school teacher Abel Meeropol wrote a poem entitled "Strange Fruit" that begins with the words: "Southern trees bear a strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root." He set the poem to music and a few years later convinced Billy holiday to record it in a legendary heartbreaking performance. Intertwining jazz genealogy, biography, performance footage, and the history of lynching, director Joel Katz fashions a fascinating discovery of the lost story behind a true American classic. Written by Excerpted from Coolidge Corner Theatre Program Update

Rating

9.0 / 10
1 Reviews
0 Popular

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