Legends: My Favorite Songs

Join us as we welcome Naärai Jacobs back to her hometown to perform at the theatre she helped build. This will be the first time Naärai – WBTT Founder and Artistic Director Nate Jacobs' daughter – has taken the stage in WBTT’s new theatre, which opened to the public in 2020 – just in time for the pandemic to close it.

During "Legends," Naärai will make her way through decades of music, paying tribute to her favorite artists: the women of song who have paved the way for her. Hear Naärai perform some of her favorites including: Dionne Warwick ("Do You Know the Way to San Jose," "Wives and Lovers," "Valley of the Dolls)," Barbra Streisand ("Evergreen"), Gladys Knight ("Heard it Through the Grapevine"), Aretha Franklin ("Until You Come Back to Me," "Bridge Over Troubled Water"), Diana Ross ("Upside Down"), Whitney Houston ("One Moment in Time") and more.

Naärai is a proud graduate of Howard University, where she received her BFA in Theatre Arts, magna cum laude. After the release of her debut solo EP, “On My Way,” in 2015, Naärai moved to Los Angeles, Calif., where she has spent the last eight years making a name for herself as a professional singer. She’s had the privilege of providing background vocals for Beyoncé (Coachella Music Festival, the film “Homecoming,” and the albums, “Cowboy Carter” and “Renaissance”), Tori Kelly, Mariah Carey, and Kanye West (“Jesus is King,” “Jesus is Born,” and “Donda”). In 2021, she was featured as a soloist on Elton John’s single, “Finish Line,” which also included Stevie Wonder. In 2022, she released her single, “Perfect,” to rave reviews.

Naärai has a long list of WBTT performances to her credit, including "The Piano Lesson", "The Wiz, Songbirds of the 70s", "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Jazz Hot Mamas". In 2018, shortly after the death of the legendary Aretha Franklin, she was one of the two featured singers in "Salute to the Queen: A Tribute to Aretha Franklin"; in the spring of 2023, she was a featured vocalist for the WBTT-Key Chorale collaboration, "Grace: The Spirit of Aretha." She also sang with her father as part of the Music Monday presentations at McCurdy's Comedy Club in June of 2023, and performed as part of the cast for the "Soul & Sass" concert in November 2023, part of the entertainment lineup for “The Bay Turns One” celebration.

"To have an artist of Naärai's stature perform on the WBTT stage is a privilege but for that artist to be my daughter makes this particularly special for me," said Jacobs. "Her early training and theatre experience took place right here in Sarasota; we are thrilled to welcome her back for these performances."

Price GOLD - $100 NOIRE - $52 BURGUNDY - $37

Time Sunday and Monday at 7:30 pm

Venue Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

Address 1012 N. Orange Ave.
Sarasota, FL 34236 GET DIRECTIONS

Phone Number (941) 366-1505