Fast times in Lincoln City

Siletz Bay Music festival presents ‘Hold Fast to Dreams’ tribute to Langston Hughes

Jasnam Daya Singh and Darius Wallace

Siletz Bay Music Festival will present the world premiere of “Hold Fast to Dreams: The Poetry of Langston Hughes,” a spirited new performance event on Friday and Saturday, May 29 and 30, at the Lincoln City Cultural Center.

The piece, written by acclaimed actor/playwright Darius Wallace with music by Latin Grammy-nominated composer, pianist and bandleader, Jasnam Daya Singh, is described by its author as “a celebration of language, humor, love, rage and wisdom in community.” It will feature Wallace on stage narrating a story built around the poetry of Langston Hughes, the iconic 20th Century poet who was a central figure of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance and who continued to play an important role in American literature and theater until his death in 1967.

The performance, “is not a biography of Langston Hughes, but rather it is the story of a world and its people, each one brought to life through the magic of his poetry,” Wallace said.

The magic of Hughes’ evocative poetry and Wallace’s dramatic stage presentation will be enhanced by a five-piece jazz ensemble led by Singh featuring John C. Savage on flute and alto sax, Bill Athens on bass, Collin Oldham on cello and Ken Ollis on drums.

Born in 1901, Hughes revolutionized American literature by speaking the truth of the Black experience, using jazz/blues rhythms and portraying working-class life with dignity. A pioneering poet, playwright and novelist, he incorporated the rhythms and themes of blues and jazz into his poetry, notably in “The Weary Blues” and “Montage of a Dream Deferred.” His 1935 play, “Mulatto” ran on Broadway for 373 performances, the first play by a Black playwright to enjoy that level of commercial success. His gospel musical “Black Nativity,” which premiered in 1961, has been revived again and again and remains a staple in American repertory theater. 

In his poetry, plays and novels, Hughes focused on the ordinary Black experience, celebrating the culture, language and resilience of the working class. In an era when African-Americans struggled to find a foothold in mainstream arts art and culture, Hughes confronted issues of racism, inequality and injustice, resisting racial prejudice through honest, colloquial writing and storytelling with an undeniably universal appeal. Throughout his life and career, he never ceased to fight for social change. 

In addition to the two public performances at Lincoln City Cultural Center, a special free performance of the piece will be presented to area students at Taft High School on Friday, May 29.

The presentation of “Hold fast to Dreams: The Poetry of Langston Hughes” marks the second Wallace and Singh collaboration that Siletz Bay Music Festival has brought to Lincoln City. In 2020, the two collaborated with festival founder Yaki Bergman, who served as artistic director of both the festival and the Portland Chamber Orchestra, to create the acclaimed performance piece “My Words Are My Sword,” which was presented in February of 2024.

“The presentation of this new piece is an excellent example of the festival’s intention to expand its presence in the Oregon Coast community beyond the regular August season and to bring meaningful and innovative new works to its programming on a regular basis,” said Dan Pack, the festival’s new executive director. “We hope to continue producing and presenting programs of this exceptional artistic value in the months preceding our summer seasons.”

The Siletz Bay Music Festival was founded to bring multi-genre world-class music performed by outstanding musicians to the area, reaching across race, culture, age, social and economic barriers and providing extraordinary music and educational experiences.

The festival’s regular season will run from August 13 through 23, with 12 concerts of classical and contemporary chamber, jazz and orchestral music at five venues on the Oregon Coast.

Tickets for the May 29 and 30 performances are $30 for general admission and $10 for students with ID. The Lincoln City Cultural Center is located at 540 NE Hwy. 101. For more information, go to SiletzBayMusic.org.