A HUEY P. NEWTON STORY

A superlative live performance of an original one-man show, this LA Theatre Works production is a must-listen. Starting with Black Panther Huey Newton’s persona, mannerisms, wit, and style, Smith and his team weave in avant-garde sound montages of historic news footage, music, and sound elements to great effect. This is a gripping, moving performance that breaks a lot of rules most effectively, abandoning tradition for dramatic impact. More audiobooks could learn from this outstanding piece, which demonstrates that the one-person narration need not be predictable. Economies sometimes dictate this, but the production costs of audiobooks are far lower than for many other media, and making room for more art over commerce would be a healthy thing. Smith’s no-holds-barred fiery, colorful tour de force is a fine example of what this medium can offer. D.J.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 07]