Actor Harry Lennix, Rev. Dwight Andrews on art, faith and social justice

Actor Harry Lennix and the Rev. Dwight Andrews will discuss artistic creativity, spirituality and social justice during Emory University’s Year of Shakespeare at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Michael C. Carlos Museum.

“Being a  musician and a minister, I’m really interested in ways in which artists and jazz musicians are involved in the issue of social justice,” said Andrews, senior pastor of First Congregational Church of Altnata and an associate professor of music theory and African-American music at Emory. “Nina Simone, Jimmy (James) Baldwin were creating and writing but also actively engaged in the work of Civil Rights.”

The Rev. Dwight Andrews, senior pastor of First Congregational Church in Atlanta.

Joining him is Lennix,  whose film, stage and television work includes “The Blacklist”, “The Matrix”, “Romeo and Juliet in Harlem” and the series “24.”

Andrews said another component of the program address the role of spirituality.

He has performed on more than 25 jazz and ‘new music’ recordings has collaborated  with playwright August Wilson and director Lloyd Richards, for his work as musical director for the Broadway productions of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”, “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”, “The Piano Lesson”, and “Seven Guitars.”

The event is free.