Black Nativity is show for all

When creating her role as Sister Frankly in the Black Nativity, Latrice Pace didn’t have to look far for inspiration.

“Back in the day, we had a church mother. She was the one who could keep everyone in line with one look,” said Pace. “And I didn’t have to go far to find one. This is every bit of my mother.”

Pace, a member of the gospel group the Anointed Pace Sisters, has been part of the Black Nativity production for four years in Atlanta. This will be the first time the cast has traveled to Augusta with the production. It will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at Bell Auditorium.

Originally written in 1961 by Langston Hughes, the Black Nativity tells the story of the gospel from an African-American perspective. It opens in a church on Christmas Day and leads into the journey of Mary and Joseph into Bethlehem and the birth of Christ.

Pace said this production is similar to the original; however, the music has been updated.

Pace calls herself to be part of the comic relief in the musical, and she considers that to be ironic.

Church mothers “were always frowning. They would talk about the love of God and the birth of Jesus, but they were always frowning,” she said.

Pace said that while the show is fun, it’s also a time of serious worship.

Q Parker, one of the three wise men, said the song he and the wise men sing is at a pivotal place in the musical.

“The song we sing is one of the high points in the production. We go into full worship,” he said.

Both performers said the musical brings the joy of the season, and that’s important because not everyone feels joy during the holidays, said Pace. They may be experiencing grief or depression because of the loss of a loved one or other circumstance.

“Making someone laugh is the greatest achievement I can make,” she said. “Laughing is healing.”

And the message of Christ’s birth as portrayed through the story brings another important gift – hope.

While the title may designate ethnicity, Pace said that the show itself crosses over all lines, and everyone is welcome.

“This show is for all people, all races, all creeds,” she said. “It’s a family show.”

Tickets for Black Nativity are $27-54 and are available at augustaentertainmentcomplex.com.