Black Is The Color Of My Voice
Touring the UK in 2026, with more dates coming soon. Check the show’s official site for details.
Inspired by the life of Nina Simone, and featuring many of her most iconic songs performed live.
Apphia Campbell’s acclaimed play follows a successful singer and civil rights activist as she seeks redemption after the untimely death of her father. She reflects on the journey that took her from a young piano prodigy destined for a life in the service of the church, to a renowned jazz vocalist at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement.
The show has played nationally and internationally to standing ovations from Shanghai and New York to Edinburgh and London’s West End. It has toured Australia and won a Pick of the Week award at Adelaide Fringe when the show premiered there in 2023 and again in 2024, when it also won the overall Best Theatre Award.
‘Moving portrayal of determination and survival’ ★★★★ The Times
‘Nothing short of sensational… Will make you cheer for her, smile with her and then sting your eyes with tears’ ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
‘A compelling and heartbreaking story, punctuated with bursts of song’ ★★★★ Edinburgh Festivals Magazine
The shows creator Apphia Campbell is originally from the United States and graduated from Florida International University with a BFA in theatre performance. She was the IASH playwrighting fellow for 2021. She wrote Black Is The Color Of My Voice in 2013. In 2017 her show with Meredith Yarbrough, Woke, was presented as part of the Made In Scotland Showcase, where it won a Scotsman Fringe First and a Highly Commended from Amnesty International Award, and was shortlisted for The Filipa Bragança Award and Scottish Art Club Theatre Award. Woke has since been re-imagined as Through The Mud. In 2019, Apphia made her West End debut with Black Is The Color Of My Voice at Trafalgar Studios and had a London premiere of Woke at BAC. Her first commission from the BBC for a children’s story, Zachary The Zebroid, aired in 2020 and she wrote Birdie’s Dilemma for Scenes for Survival (BBC with NTS Scotland). She was one of six writers who wrote for the National Theatre of Scotland’s Christmas show Rapunzel. Other recent credits: The Last Bordello (David Leddy, director) Woke (Caitlin Skinner, director), The Color Purple (James Harkness, director), Soul Sessions, and No Exit (Michael Beets, director).
The upcoming spring tour will be performed by Raquel Jones. Raquel’s theatre credits include Disney 100: In Concert (European Arena Tour); TINA the Musical (Aldwych); Reprised the role of Extraordinary Girl in American Idiot for the 10th Anniversary Tour (UK & Ireland tour) ; Little Inez in Hairspray (UK & Ireland tour), The Christmasaurus (Hammersmith Apollo); The Bodyguard (Dominion and Ed Mirvish, Toronto); Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent’s Park), Extraordinary girl in American Idiot (Arts); Clara in Ghost (English, Frankfurt); Jesus Christ Superstar (World Arena Tour); Tribe in Hair (Munich); Genie of the Ring in Aladdin (Jordan Productions); Chiffon in Little Shop of Horrors (Birmingham Rep); Lil Inez in Hairspray (Shaftesbury), Dorothy in The Wiz (Greenwich Theatre), Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty (Gordan Craig) and Backing Singer at the ABBA VOYAGE. Television and Radio credits include Cinderella in ‘The StorytEllas’ (Animation Series); Singer for Comedy Sketch with Miss Jocelyn & Clive Swift (BBC Radio); Appeared on ‘Children in Need’ (BBC) and ‘The Alan Titchmarsh show’ (ITV) with the cast of Hairspray. Recordings include: Christmas Singles ‘Silent Night’ & ‘The Little Drummer Boy’, ‘Unforgiven’ and ‘One Voice’ (Greenwich Music Ltd). Out on Spotify, Amazon Music and iTunes
