Writer, Performer, and Tony-Nominated Director Whitney White brings The Case of The Stranger to life in this new and original song cycle.
With a score rooted in soul, jazz, R&B, and diverse geographical soundworlds, The Case of the Stranger takes its title from a passage in Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas Moore — one of the earliest known pleas for a compassionate refugee policy. The piece explores themes of identity, migration, and the power of unexpected kinship.
Created by Whitney White, in partnership with Maxim Pozdorovkin with music direction by Ben Covello, this song cycle brings White’s signature style to the forefront, emphasizing the raw power of voice and sound in an intimate, deeply resonant experience.
Cast and Musicians to include Whitney White (Actor/Vocalist), Veronica Otim (Actor/Vocalist), Rotana Tarabzouni (Actor/Vocalist), Ben Covello (Keys & multi-instrumentalist), Clyde Daley (Trumpet), Emily Fredrickson (Trombone), Nathan Repasz (Percussion & multi-instrumentalist), Mohan Ritesma (Bass), and Harvey Valdes (Guitar, Oud).
A conversation will follow the program with Whitney White, Minerva Perez (Executive Director, OLA) and Oscar Molina (Artist), moderated by Monique Long (Curator / Residency Thought Partner).
The Case of The Stranger was developed as part of the 2024 Guild Hall William P. Rayner Artist-in-Residence program. This performance is presented in-association with Little Island.