ALWAYS WEAR JOY

In this tribute to her mother, the author also opens a window onto a theater era with divas unlike any on the stage today. Josephine Premice lived large, and with her contemporaries (Lena Horne, Eartha Kitt, Josephine Baker, and others) set standards and cleared the way for women actresses, particularly African-Americans, who refused to be pigeonholed. Susan Spain's narration is strong and clear; her haughty tone is worthy of the divas themselves. The production is sprinkled with spontaneous bursts into song that feed its high energy. Spain's intensity reflects the passion of the relationship between mother and daughter and the joy that Premice maintained throughout her life. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 06]