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The ‘High Priestess Of Soul’ Nina Simone Comes To Life In One-Woman Show

Yolanda Rabun is a talented singer and storyteller.
Courtesy of Curtis Brown Photography

The musical legacy of is celebrated throughout the world, but to North Carolina she is a special treasure. Simone was born in the town of Tryon, where efforts are underway to turn her childhood home into a space that reflects her dynamic, complex legacy. Last year the National Trust for Historic Preservation officially designated it a “National Treasure.”

Many other efforts are underway in the state to creatively document her story and music, including a new one-woman show from playwright Craft was first commissioned to write a short play about Simone in 2012, and the project has since evolved into the full-length production starring songstress and storyteller . A limited five-day run of the production with Playmakers Repertory Company begins Wednesday, Aug. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill. The North Carolina Museum of Art and the North Carolina Arts Council will also host a number of events in celebration of , including a concert and conversation with her daughter Lisa Simone.

Dana is an award-winning producer who began as a personality at Rock 92. Once she started creating content for morning shows, she developed a love for producing. Dana has written and produced for local and syndicated commercial radio for over a decade. վ is her debut into public radio and she’s excited to tell deeper, richer stories.
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
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