Set in Mississippi in 1946, this musical drama follows Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the gospel singer and electric guitar virtuoso who transformed sacred music with her exuberant, rhythm-infused style. Rejected by conservative church circles for playing in nightclubs, Rosetta embarks on a tour across the segregated South with a new partner, the young and devout singer Marie Knight. As they travel together, Rosetta works to blend Marie’s pure gospel tone with her own boundary-pushing sound, creating a new kind of spiritual music that would later shape the future of rock ‘n’ roll.
The production stars Olivier Award-winning performer Beverley Knight (Memphis, The Drifters Girl, Sylvia, Sister Act) as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, joined by Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Marie Knight, whose recent credits include Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, The Space Between Us, Mixtape, Nothing, and The Mountain Top (Royal Exchange Theatre). The show features live onstage musicians performing a selection of Rosetta’s most celebrated songs, including Didn’t It Rain and Peace in the Valley.
Through its focus on Rosetta and Marie’s partnership, the production restores two pioneering women to their rightful place in music history—highlighting their artistry, their defiance of convention, and the groundbreaking sound that bridged gospel and rock.
