Trailblazers on Tour

Trailblazers on Tour comes to The Kilby Theatre from March 1 to 5, 2027, with a program that brings two world-renowned opera trailblazers, Josephine Baker and Marian Anderson, back to the stage. It's a living history performance built around storytelling, music, and conversation, and it's designed for students in grades 4 through 12.

One of those names is a local one: Josephine Baker was born in St. Louis. Beyond the stage, she was a World War II spy, an activist, and one of the most successful African American performers in French history. Marian Anderson was one of the undisputed greatest voices of the 20th century. After she was denied the chance to sing at Constitution Hall, she famously performed at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 at the invitation of Eleanor Roosevelt. The show puts their lives and their music side by side.

Behind the scenes, the curriculum was written by Kareem Deanes and Rose Fischer, with the script by Courtney Bailey and Adam Flores. The lesson plans that come with it are keyed to state standards for grades 4 through 12, so it's built to fit right into a classroom's history or music unit.

Each performance runs 45 minutes in person and can take up to 60 students at a time, and the cost is $400 per school performance. With the run stretching from March 1 to 5, there's room to fit in a few different groups over the course of the week.