Uncertain Rituals

An audio collection of five short stories. Written and read by S. Pearl Sharp. Directed by Iona Morris.

The collection of stories is inspired by a line from Zora Neale Hurston. For dramatic impact I cheated a little, editing the lines to Death…bowed…and left us to act out our ceremonies over unimportant things. Read the actual passage in her insightful autobiography Dust Tracks On A Road (1942).

The Lily Knot
Miss Lily finally decides to marry the man who has been her steady for forty years. But has he changed his mind? Music by Florence Price, performed by Althea Waites, and a poem by Ruth Forman. (28 min.)

Silk
A bride-to-be flirts with Death in a dream, then faces wide-awake consequences. A mystery. Music by Derf Reklaw, with a poem by Lucille Clifton. (26 min.)

Final Draft
Edgar makes his living writing jingles, but one writing assignment challenges him beyond his imagination. Music by William Roper, with a poem by Bernie Casey. (23 min.)

Trinities
A former activist makes a surprise visit to the site where she had volunteered in the Civil Rights Movement decades earlier. Music by Damu Vusha, with a poem by Tamara Smiley Hamilton. (25 min.)

Dearly Beloved
A young wife refuses to attend her husband’s funeral, much to the chagrin of her family. A love story. Music by Bruno Martino, performed by Michael Ligon and S. Pearl Sharp, with a poem by Faythe Bell Sharp. (27 min.)

Director: Iona Morris
Announcer: Mark Maxwell
Recording engineer: Dave Fennoy
Music recording engineer: Mark Maxwell
Post-production audio engineer: Roy Hurst
Cover art: Beverly Hawkins Hall