Theatre News Wire

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, concludes its 2024-2025 season with the story of soul music icon Donny Hathaway in Twisted Melodies, written and performed by Kelvin Roston, Jr. Under the direction of Ron OJ Parson and associate director Alexis J. Roston, Twisted Melodies runs July 10 - August 10, 2025, at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie.

Twisted Melodies at Northlight Theatre

Flashback to 1979, when singer and composer Donny Hathaway was a soul music icon, known for R&B hits and his duets with Roberta Flack. This mesmerizing one-man show immerses us in a day with the brilliant artist, seeking solace in the music that has always been his salvation. Powerful renditions of songs like "More Than You'll Ever Know," "The Ghetto," and "The Closer I Get to You," illuminate the enduring power of his talent. Torn between his inspiration and his ongoing inner struggle, Hathaway grapples with his life in a gripping performance by Kelvin Roston Jr.

Twisted Melodies is written and performed by Kelvin Roston, Jr. The creative team is Ron OJ Parson (director), Alexis J. Roston (associate director), Kelvin Roston, Jr. (music director), Sotirios Livaditis (set designer), Gregory Graham (costume designer), Jason Lynch (lighting designer), Eric Backus (sound designer), and Katrina Hermann (stage manager).

BJ Jones comments, "Kelvin Roston Jr was appearing in Dominique Morisseau's Skeleton Crew at Northlight back in 2018 when he told me about a piece he had written for himself about Donny Hathaway which would be produced at Mosaic Theatre in Washington DC in the summer of 2019. I flew down to see it and was struck by the themes that were so singular to the story, quite apart from biopics of musical stars we are accustomed to seeing.

"Hathaway, who was born in Chicago and worked here for some time, suffered from schizophrenia. This story, which is resplendent with his musical talent, also traces his decline, as both the music industry and his mental condition impacted his gifts."

"Twisted Melodies is a labor of love. It's much more than simply a solo jukebox musical. I chose Donny Hathaway as my muse for his amazing music and musicianship, yes, but also because of his struggle with paranoid schizophrenia," comments Kelvin Roston Jr. "We generally ignore, make excuses for, hide, or even make fun of those dealing with mental illness. Donny Hathaway left an incredible amount of himself and his struggles in the lyrics he wrote, the notes he played, and the tones he bent and swelled with as he sang."

Ron OJ Parson adds, "Sometimes we don't hear beyond the songs, beyond the music, the pain many talented geniuses are experiencing as they create music that will be in our souls for a lifetime. We don't listen beyond the music. Sometimes there is a sacrifice being made. This is one such story that not only explores the music, but also the excruciating pain of mental disease."