SOUL DOCTOR

By Dena Stewart

Ten years ago, Stewart Stewart and Dena Stewart had the opportunity to see the pre-Broadway Show “Soul Doctor” when it did a brief run at the Colony Theater in Miami Beach.

At that time, they spoke (on-camera) with David Schechter, the lyricist, Jeremy Chess, the producer, and a few of the actors in this lively musical about “The Rock-Star Rabbi” Shlomo Carlebach and his relationship with the music and civil rights icon Dr. Nina Simone. NOTE: Nina Simone had several honorary degrees. Simone, preferred to be called “doctor Nina Simone.” She was also awarded two other honorary degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Malcolm X College.

And now, “Soul Doctor” the movie has been produced by the original Broadway producer/conceiver Jeremy Chess, along with Jerome Levy and Chandra McQueen, with Lisa Simone as Executive Producer.

With music by Shlomo Carlebach, lyrics by David Schechter, script and direction by Daniel Wise, and choreographed by Abdur Rahim Jackson, the film stars Tony Award® nominee Josh Young as Shlomo, Nya as Nina Simone and Emily Padgett as Ruth.

The story is heartwarming and the music … anyone familiar with the music of Shlomo Carlebach and the influence of songstress Nina Simone, knows the movie will be a huge hit.

Nina Simone Image republished under commons license. Nina Simone’s most famous song is “Feeling Good” from her album “I Put a Spell on You” ¹. The song is regarded by many as Nina Simone’s anthem of liberation. The song’s lyrics express some euphoria yielded by liberation from oppression ¹.

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