♪ >>> HEY THERE, AND THANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT ON CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES, I'M ANGEL IDOWU.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT, URBAN ACADEMY FIGHTS FOR SURVIVAL AFTER HAVING ITS CHARTER TO OPERATE REVOKED.

I SAT DOWN WITH CHANCE THE RAPPER TO TALK ABOUT HIS COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.

HOW YOU CAN SPEND AN AFTERNOON ON THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN WATER TRAIL.

AND THE UNEXPECTED FORCES OF INSPIRATION.

AND GLORIOUS VOICES PROVIDE A GOSPEL MUSICAL THAT REIMAGINE A CLASSIC PLAY.

ALL THAT COMING UP.

BUT, OUR STORY TONIGHT, WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THE URBAN PREP ACADEMY, THAT IS RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY FIFTH THIRD BANK AND BY THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

>>> AT FIFTH THIRD, WE BELIEVE THAT WHEN VOICES ARE HEARD AND EMPOWERED, LIVES ARE MADE BETTER AND THE FUTURE HAS A GREATER BALANCE FOR ALL, THAT IS WHY WE SUPPORT CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES.

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TOGETHER WE CAN DRIVE CHANGE.

>> THE FUTURE OF THE ALL BOYS CHARTER SCHOOL, URBAN PREP ACADEMY APPEARS BLEAK AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL AND FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT, THE CHICAGO BOARD OF EDUCATION VOTED IN OCTOBER TO REVOKE URBAN PREP CHARTER.

THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD DENIED THE APPEAL IN APRIL AND SEEKING THE TAKEOVER OF ENGLEWOOD AND BROWNSVILLE CAMPUSES LOOK INTIMATE.

AND DESPITE THE ONGOING LAWSUIT, IT APPEARS CPS IS INTENT ON ENDING THE CHARTER SCHOOLS INVOLVEMENT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN CHICAGO.

JOINING US TO TELL US WHERE THINGS STAND NOW IS THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLE OF URBAN PREP FIRST CAMPUS IN INGLEWOOD IN 2006.

SINCE 2018, HE HAS BEEN THE CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER FOR URBAN PREP ACADEMY.

SO, LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT.

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, HOW DO YOU THINK THAT IT CAME INTO QUESTION WHERE THE VERY EXISTENCE BECAME AN ISSUE?

>> YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY IT STARTED WITH THESE ALLEGATIONS, THEY ARE SIMPLE ALLEGATIONS, NO EVIDENCE AT ALL.

IN TERMS OF ALLEGATIONS AGAINST OUR FOUNDER AND FORMER CEO, THERE HAS BEEN FOUR INVESTIGATIONS, THREE OF WHICH HAVE FOUND UNSUBSTANTIATED.

ONLY THE CPS INVESTIGATION HAS MADE THESE ALLEGATIONS, AND THERE HAS BEEN NO EVIDENCE, NO TEXT MESSAGES, NO EYEWITNESSES, NO PHONE CALL, NO EVIDENCE AT ALL BESIDES A 30-YEAR-OLD MAN STATING THAT HE WAS TOUCHED ONE TIME BY THE FOUNDER AND WHO SINCE REFUSED TO COOPERATE WITH CPS, REFUSED TO SIGN ANYTHING STATING THIS AND HAS TWO OTHERS FADED, THAT HE LIED AND THIS WAS AN EFFORT TO SCORE MONEY.

THIS WAS UNFORTUNATE AND A FINANCIAL OBLIGATION OF MISMANAGEMENT.

>> I WANTED TO GET INTO THAT BECAUSE I KNOW HE DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS AND STEPPED DOWN BUT THERE ARE CHARGES OF FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT.

>> ABSOLUTELY, AND THIS IS AGAIN NOTHING BUT ALLEGATIONS, NO EVIDENCE.

FOR 17 YEARS, WE HAVE HAD CLEAN AUDITS, WE RAISED OVER $10 MILLION, THERE HAS BEEN CLEAN AUDITS LIKE I SAID, AND FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS, WE MET OR EXCEEDED CPS'S OWN FINANCIAL SCORECARD FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE ABOVE THE REQUIRED AMOUNT FOR RESERVES ON THE PAST 3 YEARS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE USING ISSUES FROM ALMOST A DECADE AGO, WHEN THE GOVERNOR, DID NOT HAVE A BUDGET.

THE STATE DID NOT HAVE A BUDGET FOR 2 YEARS AND CPS IN RESPONSE TO THAT WAS THEY CUT THE BUDGET FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.

AND AT URBAN PREP, WE DID NOT CUT PROGRAMMING OR FIRE TEACHERS.

WE DID SOME NONTRADITIONAL THINGS TO CLOSE THE GAPS, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING DONE ILLEGAL, WE SATISFIED ALL OF OUR LOANS WITHOUT DEFAULTING.

SO, THIS IS FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT.

SO AGAIN, THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF THAT, AND THEY ARE TRYING TO MISLEAD THE MEDIA TO SPEAK ON THESE ISSUES, BUT THIS WAS BACK WHEN THERE WAS NO STATE BUDGET AND CPS CUT THE BUDGET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS.

>> OUTSIDE OF THE FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT CHARTER, WERE THERE ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT CPS ABOUT THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF YOUR STUDENTS OR MAYBE THE TERM OF EDUCATION THAT YOU WERE PROVIDING?

>> NOT AT ALL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE METRICS, WE ARE OUTPERFORMING, IN TERMS OF CPS WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK BOYS.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DATA, IT IS NOT WHAT WE SAY, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE CPS DATA, RIGHT NOW YOU CAN LOOK AT GRADUATION RATES OF ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.

YOU WILL SEE THAT WE HAD AN AVERAGE OF 91% HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE , VERSUS CPS BLACKMAIL GRADUATION RATE, THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CONSORTIUM STUDIES THROUGH AND THROUGH SHOW CLEARLY AS FAR AS OUR COLLEGE ENROLLMENT RATE, BEING ABOVE 75% VERSUS CPS FOR BLACK BOYS UNDER 49%.

SO, IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT OUR SUCCESS, NOT BASED ON WHAT WE SAY BUT BASED ON THIRD-PARTY METRICS, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE FIVE ESSENTIAL SURVEY THAT ALL SCHOOLS DO OUR SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN WELL ORGANIZED AND THIS IS CERTAINLY PUT TOGETHER BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO THAT PROVES THAT SCHOOLS WHO DO WELL ON THIS SURVEY, THERE SCHOOLS ARE MORE APT TO HAVE GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT FOR THEIR STUDENTS.

AND THE HIGHEST SCORE THAT YOU CAN SEE, ENGLEWOOD IS WELL ORGANIZED.

SO WITH THESE VARIOUS METRICS THAT ARE DONE BY THIRD PARTIES, URBAN PREP HAS EXCELLED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS.

SO, CPS HAS BEEN MISLEADING THE MEDIA, SAYING THEY ARE TAKING OVER, THEY ARE NOT TAKING OVER, THEY ARE CLOSING OUR SCHOOLS WHICH IS ILLEGAL, BASED ON THE MORATORIUM THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE JANUARY, 2022, OR JUNE, 2022 WHEN THEY STATED THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO SCHOOL CLOSINGS UNTIL 2025.

>> DO YOU FEEL THAT URBAN PREP IS BEING UNFAIRLY TARGETED?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

WE ARE A BLACK ORGANIZATION THAT MANAGES AND OPERATES A SCHOOL FOR BLACK BOYS.

SO, I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE ARE NOT EMBRACED IN TERMS OF THE WORK WE ARE DOING WITH THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT IS THE MOST UNDER RESOURCED AND THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT NEGATIVE STATISTICS, UNFORTUNATELY AT THE TOP.

SO, WE TALK ABOUT THE VIOLENCE AND ANTI-VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

URBAN PREP SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS A PART OF THE STRATEGY IN TERMS OF SERVING THE COMMUNITIES BECAUSE WE HAVE EXPERIENCES AND EXPOSURE FOR OUR YOUNG MEN TO SEE THEMSELVES OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY AND WE ALSO TEACH ABOUT SERVING THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE HAVE MANY EXAMPLES OF COMING BACK AFTER GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE STATUS OF THE LAWSUIT CURRENTLY?

>> SO NEXT WEEK, THE JUDGE IS ON THE QUEST FOR TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER TO NOT ALLOW CPS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE ON THIS ILLEGAL ACTION, AND THAT IS CLEARLY THE LAW, SO THE JUDGE WILL HEAR THAT.

THE JUDGE WILL MAKE A RULING BY JUNE 13 IN TERMS OF THAT.

AND WE ARE PREPARED, IF IT DOESN'T RULE IN OUR FAVOR FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, WE ARE READY TO GO TO THE APPELLATE COURT REGARDING THIS BECAUSE IT IS A CLEAR ACTION, NO SCHOOL CLOSINGS, PHASEOUTS, CONSOLIDATIONS AT ALL.

AND THIS IS VERY CLEAR.

AND WE ARE A SCHOOL.

SO THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AT ALL.

AND ESPECIALLY WITH THESE ALLEGATIONS AND NO EVIDENCE.

BUT, NO SCHOOL CLOSINGS.

>> THANK YOU, I APOLOGIZE, THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH HAS COME TO A CLOSE BUT, CHANCE THE RAPPER'S NONPROFIT IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE CHICAGOANS HAVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE YEAR-ROUND IN AN INITIATIVE CALLED MY STATE OF MIND.

THEY HAVE 3000 DIFFERENT WELLNESS PROGRAMS SINCE THE INCEPTION TO MAKE SURE RESIDENTS GET THE HELP THAT THE COMMUNITY SAYS IT NEEDS.

THAT IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE THAT CHANCE THE RAPPER HAS MADE AS A COMMITMENT.

I SAT DOWN FOR A WIDE-RANGING CONVERSATION.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT SOCIAL WORK, TO REALLY TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND AWARENESS?

>> I'M REALLY EXCITED.

I FEEL LIKE CHICAGO IS A BIG CITY WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHALLENGES.

WHAT WE DID IS WE CREATED THIS MY STATE OF MIND PROJECT TO CONNECT PEOPLE AND TO MAKE A PLATFORM FOR ALL OF THOSE SPACES, AND JUST TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE BECAUSE WE NEED IT.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK SPECIFICALLY FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS WORTH BRINGING ATTENTION TO?

>> WE AS A COMMUNITY, OVERWHELMINGLY SUFFER FROM POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS FROM A VAST VARIETY OF DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THE ACCESS TO CARE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

SO, MY STATE OF MIND HELPS YOU FIND CERTAIN PRACTICES OR PRACTITIONERS THAT SPECIALIZE IN WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED THROUGH CERTAIN TESTS AND AN EASY WAY TO GUIDE YOU TO FIND HELP.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY PERSONALLY WORKS FOR YOU WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN A STATE OF MAYBE NOT FEELING CREATIVE, FEELING DOWN, FEELING SAD, YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO GET YOURSELF UP AND READY.

ALBEIT AT HOME CHILLING OR ON THE ROAD, AND YOU HAVE TO BE ON AND PRESENT.

WHAT ARE THINGS THAT WORK FOR YOU?

>> I TRIED A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS WHEN I'M LACKING MOTIVATION, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE DEALT WITH DEPRESSION BEFORE, I DEALT WITH ANXIETY, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND I THINK WHAT HELPS IN ALL OF THOSE SITUATIONS, AND THIS IS BEING AMONGST OTHER PEOPLE AND CREATING SPACE FOR YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY AND PEOPLE AROUND YOU, TO EVEN SEE THAT YOU MIGHT NEED ASSISTANCE.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST DID A BIG BIKE RIDE, JUST A BUNCH OF FOLKS GOING OUT ON A RIDE TOGETHER, AS A WAY WE INVITE PEOPLE IN, WE ARE CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE NOT FEELING OKAY.

A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THINGS THEY MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY TALK TO THEIR FRIENDS ABOUT.

>> HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY GOING BEYOND SOCIAL WORK AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE GALLERY OF INCORPORATING ARTISTS IN A CREATIVE WAY TO SHOWCASE THEIR ART ALONGSIDE YOUR RECORDS, THIS VISUAL IS JUST A VERY DIFFERENT CREATIVE APPROACH TO STORYTELLING THAT REALLY FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY.

>> YEAH, THANK YOU.

I FEEL LIKE THAT HAS BEEN MY BIG THING I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.

GOING INTO MY COMMUNITY AND BUILDING CREATIVE THINGS, DEALING WITH HOUSING AND EDUCATION, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU NEED IN THIS GROUP.

THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.

DOING THE SOCIAL WORK RECENTLY IN THE FESTIVAL, ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN OPPORTUNITIES TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE AND HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THINGS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT AND JUST TO STRENGTHEN OVERALL OUR COMMUNITY.

>> LOOKING FORWARD TO FUTURE SOCIAL WORK.

FOR YOU AS WELL, YOU HAVE YOUR SHOWS COMING UP, THIS IS YOUR ANNIVERSARY.

THAT IS REALLY WHAT PUT YOU ON THE MAP AND KIND OF STARTED THIS.

HOW DOES THAT FEEL FOR YOU, JUST LIKE A MOMENT OF REFLECTION AND GRATITUDE?

>> IT IS A REALLY COOL THING.

I REMEMBER VISITING A LOT OF THE SAME PLACES THAT I GO TO NOW, AND I FEEL LIKE IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO BUT IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

I THINK TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE STILL HOLD IT NEAR AND DEAR TO THEIR HEARTS, AND THEY STILL SEND ME MESSAGES ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT TO THEM, THEY SOLD OUT OF THE CHICAGO SHOW SO FAST.

♪ >> I WENT TO COLLEGE IN WISCONSIN AND I KID YOU NOT, THEY WERE PLAYING COCOA BUTTER KISSING, I WAS LIKE ANGEL, HAVE YOU HEARD THIS SONG?

AND I WAS LIKE WAIT, WHAT?

>> IT WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

>> YEAH, YOU WERE JUST STARTING, AND THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE THAT MOMENT OF YOU BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

>> THANK YOU, I'M EXCITED FOR THE SHOW.

>> IN CASE YOU COULDN'T TELL, I WILL DEFINITELY BE AT THE CONCERT.

WE DIDN'T GET INTO THE DETAILS ABOUT THE FIRST SEASON, BUT HE DID SHARE HOW HAPPY HE WAS TO SEE ONE OF THE MEMBERS FROM HIS TEAM MAKE IT TO THE FINAL AND HE HAD GREAT THINGS TO SAY ABOUT HIS FRIEND, KELLY CLARKSON.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN UTILIZING SOME OF THOSE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.

UP NEXT, PADDLING THROUGH HISTORY ON THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE WATER TRAIL.

>>> WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE SUMMER THAN A DAY ON THE WATER?

NEXT WEEKEND, A NONPROFIT OPEN LAND IS HOSTING GUIDED PADDLING TRIPS THROUGHOUT THE AFRICAN- AMERICAN HERITAGE WATER TRAIL ALONG THE RIVER.

WATER TRAIL SPECIALISTS SAY IT'S A GREAT WAY TO EXPERIENCE HOW BLACK HISTORY AND NATURE INTERSECT.

>> WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 60th ANNIVERSARY, AND THAT'S JUST CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF IMPACT AND 60 YEARS OF ENGAGEMENT.

WE ARE COMMEMORATING OUR 60th ANNIVERSARY, WE ORGANIZED A PADDLING SERIES.

SO, STARTING FROM JUNE 10 THROUGH JUNE 12, IT'LL BE THREE DAYS, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE WATER TRAIL SHOWS HISTORY RANGING FROM THE RAILROAD AND TRAVELING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT.

WE GO OVER THE HISTORY OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE.

SO, I THINK THAT THE WATER TRAIL DOES A GREAT JOB OF SHOWCASING HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN ERASED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT CAN BE VERY HEALING.

PEOPLE FEEL SOME HUMILITY AND FEELING HEALTH AND WELLNESS WHILE OUTDOORS.

IT IS REALLY OPEN TO EVERYONE, IT IS A FAMILY-FRIENDLY AFFAIR, SO FAMILIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND AS WELL AS JUST TO GET OUTDOORS AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.

>> NOW, THE PADDLES ARE FOR YOU TO ALL BUT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED, YOU WILL FIND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.>>> SHE IS A LONGTIME CUSTOM CREATOR, AND HER SUCCESS CAME WITH MANY YEARS OF WORK, DEEP RESEARCH AND A HUNGER FOR A NEW SKILL.

HER WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED IN A TRAVELING EXHIBITION AND NOW IN A NEW BOOK, THE ART OF RUTH CARTER.

SHE WILL BE IN TOWN FOR THE HUMANITIES FESTIVAL.

WE RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH HER.

>> RUTH CARTER ALWAYS KNEW SHE COULD BE A FIRST.

>> I THOUGHT, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANOTHER BLACK COSTUME DESIGNER, I WAS AWARE OF IT FOR MANY YEARS AND I KIND OF WONDERED IF IT MIGHT BE ME.

>> IT WAS.

IN 2019, SHE MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST BLACK CUSTOM CREATOR TO WIN AN ACADEMY AWARD, IT WAS A MOVIE CARTER INVESTED SO MUCH OF HERSELF AND, AND THAT RAISED THE EMOTIONAL STATE.

>> AFTER BLACK PANTHER ONE, I WAS THE FRONT RUNNER, AND I IMMEDIATELY WANTED IT.

>> THIS YEAR, SHE WAS AWARDED FOR THE SEQUEL, BLACK PANTHER, ANACONDA FOREVER.

>> THANK YOU TO THE ACADEMY FOR RECOGNIZING THIS SUPERHERO THAT IS A BLACK WOMAN.

>> CARTER'S WORK IS KNOWN TO THE HEAVY INFLUENCE OF THIS CONCEPT SHE EMBRACES BUT PEOPLE HARDLY KNEW.

>> IN THE 60s, YOU KNOW, IT WAS BLACK POWER.

WE STARTED TO UNDERSTAND OURSELVES A LOT MORE.

A >> WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING COMES THE MELDING OF AFRICAN HERITAGE, TECHNOLOGICAL WONDERS AND IMAGINED FUTURES.

THE BLACK PANTHER FILMS ARE INFUSED WITH THOSE IDEAS BUT CARTER SAYS IT DATES BACK TO THE START OF HER CAREER.

>> WE HAD VISIONS FOR REVELATION ON CAMERA, MORE POSITIVE IMAGES OF OURSELVES.

>> SOME OF THOSE IMAGES HAVE BEEN FICTIONAL, AND SOME OF THOSE IMAGES HAVE BEEN HISTORICAL.

AND ANOTHER SPIKE LEE FILM, MALCOLM X.

>> IT WAS A REALLY SPECIAL TRIP AND SPECIAL TIME.

>> CARTER'S FILMS ARE FULL OF COLOR, ELEGANT FABRIC AND TEXTURES THAT POP OFF THE SCREEN BUT THE MATERIAL THAT TRANSLATES TO HOLLYWOOD MAGIC CAN SOMETIMES BE PRETTY MUNDANE.

>> YOU MIGHT HAVE A JUNK DRAWER, YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE ONE OFFS, YOU KNOW, WHY AM I SAVING ALL THIS?

THAT KIND OF THING IS VERY USEFUL FOR ME BECAUSE I REALIZED THAT YOU CAN CREATE ART WITH ALMOST ANYTHING.

>> CARTER SAID ONE OF THE COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HER JOB IS THAT EVEN ON A HUGE MARVEL MOVIE, SHE SAID A SEWING MACHINE HELPED CONSTRUCT EVERY COSTUME.

>> IT WAS LIKE THE WIZARD OF OZ, JUST SEWING AWAY.

>> THESE ARE BIG HOLLYWOOD MOVIES, PEOPLE.

SHE NEEDS A CREW AND SHE WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE DIRECTOR AND ACTORS, BUT SHE SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT TO PICK UP ALL THE SKILLS YOU CAN, HOWEVER YOU CAN.

HER ADVICE?

>> FIND SOMEWHERE TO LEARN, WHETHER THEY VOLUNTEER AT A THEATER COSTUME SHOP, WHETHER THEY GET A JOB IN PA OR THE COSTUME DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE TO BE A SPONGE.

>> WITH THE EXHIBITION OF HER WORK AND A BOOK THAT TAKES READERS ON A TOUR OF HER CAREER, CARTER HAS COME A LONG WAY FROM SOMEBODY WHO TOILED AS AN INTERN FOR YEARS AFTER COLLEGE.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO LOOK BACK ON WHERE SHE HAS BEEN SO FAR?

>> IT FEELS SO GROWN-UP.

WHEN I SEE SOMEONE WHO WERE REALLY WANTED TO BE HERE, WHO REALLY WANTED TO DO THIS TYPE OF WORK, AND REALLY FELT IN HER HEART THAT SHE COULD ACHIEVE THESE ROLES, AND DID.

>> AGAIN, THE BOOK IS CALLED THE ART OF RUTH CARTER, COSTUMING BLACK HISTORY AND THE AFRO FEATURE, FROM DO THE RIGHT THING, TOO BLACK PANTHER.

SHE WILL BE SPEAKING AT THE MUSIC BOX THEATER ON JUNE 11.

WE'VE GOT MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE.

UP NEXT, SOUNDS FROM A GOSPEL MUSICAL WITH AN ALL-STAR CHICAGO CAST.

♪ >>> WHEN GOSPEL MUSIC MERGES WITH AN ANCIENT GREEK TEXT, YOU COULD ALMOST CALL IT A HOLY COMMUNION.

IT BRINGS A STATUS OF CHURCH MUSIC INTO THE THEATER.

TONIGHT IS THE FINAL REHEARSAL.

THE PRODUCER HAS THE STORY FROM THE THEATER.

>> IT IS CLEAR IN ALL OF US, IT'S NOT CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, JEWISH, GREEK, WELL, IT IS JEWISH, THAT IS WHAT IT IS ABOUT.

BUT, IT IS A SPIRITUAL EVENT.

>> IT IS A RARELY PERFORMED SHOW .

MORGAN FREEMAN WAS IN THE ORIGINAL CAST IN 1983 AND THAT PRODUCTION INCLUDED AT LEAST ONE MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE.

>> AS A RESULT, I DECIDED, IF MUSIC CAN CREATE SUCH A SPIRITUAL EVENT THAT LIFTS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN THAT THEATER TO A CATHARTIC EXPERIENCE, LIKE ONE IMAGINES IN GREEK THEATER, AND YET IT IS CONTEMPORARY TODAY, WITH ALL OF US DOING THIS TOGETHER, THAT IS WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY LIFE.

WE'VE ONLY GOT TWO MORE DAYS TO OPEN, SO I CAN'T WAIT.

>> IT IS BASED ON EDIFICE AT COLONUS, A 2500-YEAR-OLD PLAY ABOUT AN AGING KING WHO SEEKS REDEMPTION AFTER A LIFE OF SIN.

ONE OF THE CAST MEMBERS PERFORMED IN THE ORIGINAL WORLD TOUR.

>> ♪ EVERY CHILD REMEMBERS OUR TRUE FRIEND ♪ >> THE ROLE SHE ORIGINALLY PLAYED IS NOW BEING PLAYED BY HER DAUGHTER, THE DIRECTORS HAVE HIGH PRAISE FOR THE ALL CHICAGO CAST.

>> WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED CASTS I HAVE EVER WORKED WITH.

AS AN ACTOR, I COME UP HERE IN CHICAGO, I COME UP IN THE COMMUNITY HERE, I HAVE BEEN DOING THEATER WITH MANY OF THESE PEOPLE AND SOMEHOW WE'VE GOT TALENT AND A BIG GOAL OF OURS IS THAT EVERYBODY WILL BE SHOWCASED IN SOME WAY.

EVEN IF IT IS JUST A LINE HERE OR THERE, EVERYBODY'S VOICE IS SHOWCASED.

>> THE ACTOR DIRECTOR WAS A FINALIST ON THE VOICE SO HE KNOWS ABOUT VOICES BEING SHOWCASED.

THE DIRECTORS ARE BOTH SONS OF PREACHERS, FOLLOWING REHEARSAL TO GIVE FINAL NOTES TO THE CAST IN ADVANCE OF OPENING NIGHT.

>> THEY ARE PUTTING IT IN THE CONTEXT OF SPIRITUALITY EXPRESSED THROUGH WORSHIP AND SPIRIT, IT IS A COMBINATION OF THE TWO THAT CREATES THIS.

>> I WANT TO TELL YOU, IT IS NOT ONE OR THE OTHER, IT IS TRULY ITS OWN ENTITY, IT IS A SPIRITUAL THING.

>> THE GOSPEL AT COLONUS IS AT COURT THEATER IN HYDE PARK AND RUNS THROUGH JUNE 18.

AND THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT , CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES.

I'M ANGEL IDOWU, AND I WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

♪