SECOND SUNDAY

Narrator Desiree Coleman brings spirit, soul, and verve to Bowen’s story of Gethsemane Baptist Church in 1970s’ St. Louis. As the church prepares to celebrate its hundredth anniversary, the stories of its members interweave to create a canvas of love, humor, and even intrigue, with the faith of the church members a seamless part of the story. All the characters are fully realized in Coleman’s vocalizations, no matter their age or sex. Hers is a gutsy and down-to-earth, yet complex, performance, as required by the story. One finds it hard to stop listening, and often to stop laughing, and it’s difficult to leave the characters at the end. M.A.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 04]