James Baldwin novel graces stage for the first time with Quintessence Theatre Group

MT. AIRY (WPVI) -- At the historic Sedgwick Theatre, the groundbreaking James Baldwin novel, "Giovanni's Room", will be seen for the first time ever - being adapted with approval from the family. Co-Adapters Benjamin Sprunger and Paul Oakley Stovall (also the director) set the story for the stage, and are excited to work here in Philadelphia with the Quintessence Theatre Group. The show runs through June 29th.

James Baldwin was a writer and civil rights activist who garnered acclaim for his essays, novels, plays, and poems. His 1953 novel "Go Tell It on the Mountain" has been ranked by Time Magazine as one of the top 100 English-language novels. With a story focused on a gay relationship in Paris, the 1955 manuscript for "Giovanni's Room" was rejected by Baldwin's publisher and was not accepted until a year later by a different publisher. Since its publication in 1956, it has been recognized as a landmark contribution to both American and LGBTQ+ literature, by authors and critics alike.

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Quintessence Theatre at The Sedgwick
7137 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19119
215-987-4450